Well it worked for me because they had no idea how much stronger I was then them and I was able to beat them into submission. But your right, if you can't pull that off, you need to find other ways.

Nope. I'm little, but I am mean. Leave me and my stuff alone, and we get along just fine.

I was the sort of person that would have been bullied in middle/high school. I had weird interests, I was quiet, I never had much interest in playing with other kids, etc. The problem was, I was never the sort of person to take bullying lying down. I was absolutely vicious as a kid, actually, though I've really mellowed out over the years.

It probably didn't help them much that I had a tendency to make friends with the people in authority, either.

Same. We never really had a bullying problem at school. Picking on people was game though.

I wish. I hate to sound like the common internet sort who claims all sorts of disorders to seem unique and interesting but, well, I've never been good with mental stability. I've been in and out of therapy and psychiatrist/psychologist's offices literally as long as I can remember. Being sometimes pulled from classes for frequent meetings with the school staff made it difficult to keep that fact from others. Having no friends and not talking to anyone didn't help. I've had plenty of bullies, and more than a few antagonized me because they were specifically trying to set me off. School was not a good time for my state of mind.

Nope, several attempts. Intricate verbal rebuttal was all it took to scatter opposition to the winds.

Edit
Hard to bully someone when they just don't care. Consequently usually means family can hurt more than a stranger.

I was bullied in American middle school. I was a bully in high-school. I still feel bad about it so now, I'm a very nice guy, most of the time.

Some occasional verbal insults by two kids here and there, but it was minor. It only happened during two weeks on my second High School year. Otherwise I never got any problems at all. Most of the students came from the same elementary school as I, so we all knew each other.

Everyone feels bullied at some point, even the bullies.

No.

I was but not very badly. Just assaults on my sixuality, my accent, and occasionally some physical "teasing". Kinda hard for me to tell if they wanted to hurt me or whether they were just fooling around since I have a very high pain tolerance, but I assume getting my head pushed into a seat isn't exactly playing.

I was bullied in Kindergarten, and again in Middle School, by three distinct parties that I remember with the clarity of an elephant with a grudge. First bully ended up turning my best friend against me, second bully actually was one of my friends who turned against me (and took a whole group of people with him), and the third bully was just some [censored] on the school bus.

Besides not having any friends for the rest of my life it's had little effect in the long run. I didn't do anything about it either. Just waited it out. In High School people just stopped bothering me, and there's never been a problem since.

Only verbally.

Give them this look:
http://cindydyer.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/wearenotamused.jpg

When I was younger I was a very shy, inseccure child. The perfect victim for a bully. I realised fairly early on that what they were looking for was some sort of reaction, so I simply deprived them of that reaction. I didn't really react to them. At first I just ignored them and of course they would tease me about being mute and all that. Other times I would simply agree with them: "You're ugly - yeah, I guess I'm pretty ugly"

It got me off the hook as they found out I was no fun.

I'm not sure I would recommend this in the long run, I sure as hell stayed insecure for a long time.

I don't know what I can say to help you. Be confident in yourself. Be cool in the way that you can relax and not let them get to you. Realize that what they're saying shouldn't affect you or your mood the slightest. Respect yourself, don't let anyone waste your time or resources. And demand respect from others.

The key isn't to get payback, the key is to learn from them and step up on a higher level.

Here's my suggestion: Every time they bully you, stay calm and learn from the experience. See it as a challenge.

edit: Come to think of it, bullies bully people to feel better about them selves, they want to feel like they're the 'alpha male' - so the worst that could happen for a bully is if someone was more alpha than themselves. So if you simply look at them, amused, almost laughing, really showing that they're not getting anywhere. You will come of as the cool guy too.

I was bullied a little bit, but I didn't really care seeing as I just turned it around to be about them instead of me. I knew a guy in high school that was bullied in a similar fashion, Schmuty, and you know what? He came right up on stage at the talent show my senior year with a song about the emotional pain he felt. His bullying stopped there, as most of the people there were tearing up.

Don't feel like there is something wrong with you that people pick on you. In fact, they're probably insecure about themselves and notice that you have qualities that they wish they had, thus they take their frustration out on you. It will pass eventually once everyone matures, and you can't let their antics bother you. As long as you like who you are, nothing else really matters.

I'm not sure about this whole "the bully is insecure" idea.
I think most bullies just do it for fun. :shrug:

For the most part, they don't even realize that they're insecure. To them, they're doing it for fun, but for someone watching it's apparent that the bully has emotional issues.

At least that's what I've seen.

Tell teachers and parents etc

Not once, but constantly. Do not let in. Keep pushing the issue with them. If nothing still gets done then you'll just have to ride it out, assuming it's all verbal. If they ever do anything physical to you, then take your textbooks, assuming you have those really thick, hard ones at your school and pile a few on top of each other. Then when the kid that bullies you isn't looking, smash him in the back of the head with it.

Unless they jump you and you have to react quickly, and don't have time to open your bag and stuff. If that's the case, aim for the nose when defending yourself.

Fair enough, but from my own experiences I've never seen that in anyone who I've also seen bullying.
I guess there's both types though,

svcker punching someone who is larger, is more willing to be violent, and has more friends than you seems like a terrible idea to me.

You do that and they'll start treating you as the troublemaker. Everything has to be swept under the rug, kept quiet...

Lol yup - I definitely wouldn't have even considered this when I was being bullied. It's crap, but the "ignore them and they will go away" does work for the most part, although it will mean putting up with crap. If my situation had been worse than what it was, I would've told someone (like a teacher or a councillor). In my experience the bullies were idiots that either got expelled or dropped out of school for other reasons anyway, so there was never an issue with the later years of school. A few were left at the end, but seeing as they didn't have their mates to back them up anymore, they stopped being [censored] as they realised that literally no one else liked them - they were just tolerated.

Not sure about anyone else here but I have been raised in the poorer schools of Scotland and have never seen a single 'bully that picks on the weakest kid only,' instead its groups that go around treating everyone except their own like dirt for a laugh. Its absolute hell if you don't have at least 3-4 friends, the worst part of it is that nothing can be done by advlts since it's not a particular kid or gang but anyone that wants to be amused, and the more you entertain someone the more they'll want more, showing you will ruin their day if he starts anything works a charm. But that doesn't happen anymore since most left and any who stayed are way into their exams where becoming a nuisance will eventually forfeit you're education.

I have been bullied and picked on my entire life I am an easy target, I never used to stand up for myself and I was extremely shy. I hit puberty late so when I was in middle school I was told that I look like a boy. The first guy I had a crush on one of my old friends told him and he took one look at me and said ew. When I was in high school pretty much all of girls hate me. So because they hated me they started rumors that I was a [censored] and they all wanted to beat me up. When I finally got my first boyfriend after loads of rejection he ends up cheating on me so that gave people more of a reason to pick on me.To make matter worse I had this friend I knew for six years and I found out that she had been lying to me about everything she has ever told me or anyone else, and tried so hard to get me to break up with the guy I am with now so with all that was going on I lost trust for everything and everyone.This was all back in high school and I am 21 now and in a good place with my boyfriend that I have been with for 4 years and hanging out with people that I know I can trust

Wow... Uh we seem to have an overabundance of tough guys who didn't take [censored]. Likely... Anyways, if you are getting bullied don't punch them. They will hit you back. Harder.