My name is Andrea, I currently live in San Antonio, TX. I'm a female age 20, and am attending college. This is my story. It all started in Elementary as early as kindergarten. I moved to the US from Mexico. At the time my family and I lived in Maryland. I didnt understand/know any english so I cried almost everyday in kindergarten because I didnt understand my teacher or classmates. I was a loner. No body wanted to play with me. By the end of 1st grade I could understand and speak English. I had pretty good grades. As the years passed I barely had any friends. At recess I would sit alone on a bench and watch the other kids have fun. Every once and awhile I would get picked on by this girl. She would call me a loser, a geek, a no body. My parents were struggling with jobs so we didnt have much money and would get hand-me-downs from other family and my parent's co-workers. My closet consisted of baggy sweats and old tennis shoes. The kids at school would call me a boy, gay, and say that i was dirty and ugly. Starting Middle School I hoped it would be better. My parents found stable jobs so were able to afford nicer clothes. But of course the mean comments and bullying didnt stop. The "popular" kids would say I'm a poser and a wanna be, and would tell me to go back to my country where I belong. I'd get pushed around shoved into walls laughed at, it was horrible. I was at a very low point. The kids I thought were my friends would ditch me, and turn on me. I attempted suicide. My parents were so scared and heart broken at all that was happening and sent to therapy. It helped a little. 8th grade came about, and I had enough. I started standing up for myself. The bullying surprisingly stopped over time. I got new friends that actually stood by my side! High school was a lot better. At the end of freshman year we moved to my home now, Texas. I was a little scared being the new girl at school. But I kept my head held up high and after awhile I met some wonderful people. They helped me get through the year. Of course every once and awhile I'd get called different names but I learned to just brush it off. I wasnt afraid of anyone anymore. Id laugh whenever someone would try to insult me. My senior year I vowed to help the new freshmen get through their first year of highschool. It felt great helping them out. I'm proud to say that I graduated with friends of ALL kinds, and knowing I made a difference to a lot of kids coming into high school. It took a long time but I saw the light and I'm glad to be here today. Days definitely do get brighter, and I want to do whatever it takes to help kids see that too.