I can't say that there was ever a year in high school where I wasn't called names, that I didn't feel like an outsider to the rest of the people in my class, but the years between 2006-2011 were notably the worst. I'd go to school every day only to be called 'gay', a 'fag', by fellow class-'mates'. More often than not, I would come home, crying, just wishing that someone would tell me I would never have to go to school again. I loved learning, I was so grateful for my education, but the endless taunting made school unbearable. The bullying wasn't always just verbal. There were many occasions when I was beaten, my hair pulled out, things thrown at me. In fact, there were many occasions where teachers witnessed this and stood by and let this happen. Music was my release. Sneaking into my mom's old vinyl collections and blasting Michael Jackson like I knew how to work the contraption, made the pain go away. I loved getting lost in the music and feeling reborn, like I could be whoever I wanted to be. My parents visited my school a lot during these years and had many meetings to discuss the issue of bullying. Nothing was done. All of this was documented, yet nothing was done about it. According to the school, they had informed the parents of the bullies and they could do no more. Of course the bullying continued. They knew each time when I'd reported them and it only made them feel more reason to give me abuse. Aged just 13 at the time, I didn't see a life ahead of me. I could only live in the dark present. Suicide to me was not so much of an option; it was more of a case of when. I saw no hope for myself, no future, but I just couldn't kill myself. I knew that there were still lots of people who still depended on me, so it seemed a good enough reason to stick around and stick through the pain. In 2008, I remember watching a TV program where our innocent little Gaga was being interviewed, upon releasing ‘Just Dance’. I thought ‘Oh great, no doubt another talentless blonde-bitch trying to make it big’. I listened to Just Dance and couldn’t believe how wrong I was. A bleached-blonde bitch she may have been, but certainly not an untalented one. I was so glad that I’d finally found someone who I had felt was restoring some kind of art to pop culture. I was mocked for not listening to current pop music, but could I really be blamed? I was so appreciative of a woman who clearly worked hard to get to where she was. From her performances to her outfits, everything seemed like it was well planned, well thought out. The more I listened, the more I watched, the more I read, and I would become evermore captivated by this amazing woman. Every day I would come home from school and dance badly in the comfort of my bedroom to The Fame. I was still bullied, but the pain was so much more tolerable. I wouldn’t like to say that Lady Gaga saved my life, but I don’t think I could of gone through some of the darkest points in my life without the joy I would get from her music. I owe her so much, and I don’t know exactly how I could ever express my true thankfulness for her. When I’d come home each day, I’d still sometimes cry, but I’d get through it, with more hope now that there was a brighter future, something worth living for ahead of me. I knew that I wouldn’t be able to stop the bullying so I made sure I did better than them, in everything I did. I admired Gaga’s efforts in everything that she did. I wanted to replicate this hard work, so I studied hard and achieved grades far beyond what I was expected. Whilst the people who tried to set me back are currently doing nothing with their lives, I today am currently studying a degree in Chemical Engineering at University, something that interests me and I would never have imagined myself doing a few years back. To anyone out there who is being bullied, it gets better. Try to succeed in everything that you do and make sure to ‘beat’ the bullies. Tell family, friends, anyone that is there for you how you are feeling. Whilst my school had no procedure for anti-bullying, it doesn't mean to say that yours doesn't either. No matter how cloudy and obscure the future may seem, just know that it will be brighter. I hope that in the future, bullying will be eradicated. Thank you Gaga and Monsters for taking a stand towards bullying. Bullying is a hate crime. How many more people need to die before it is treated seriously enough? I hope that with the growth of the Born This Way Foundation and the activeness of Monsters to take a stand against hatred, we will soon put an end to bullying. And to finish things off, I will leave with a quote from a wise woman, a simple quote in which I live by every day – ‘Don’t be insecure, if your heart is pure’.