Comments on: The Ugliest Part of High School

By: Gigi

Gigi — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 22:07:55 +0000

Been there, done that…thank God it’s OVER!!! I went back to school last fall and relived a bit of the cattiness, only this time it was with a grown woman (fellow classmate) nearly old enough to be my mother! One thing we usually learn over time is to pick our battles…some people are just happy in their own misery. Others (that is, the SMART ones like US!) “rise above it” and focus on the things that matter because truly, one day these people will be nothing more than a ridiculous memory…

By: Geoff

Geoff — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 22:31:39 +0000

Thanks so much for reading, Conny. It’s been really interesting to hear about how bullying works in schools and society outside of the US. I think there’s definitely a lot to learn from each other.

By: Conny

Conny — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 22:35:53 +0000

Actually, as I was younger, I also (like Minna) thought that not all of the Highschool-films could be true. I never imagined, that there could be such groups, who really bullied other people for not being like them, or for being unpopular etc.
I’m Austrian, and we never really had such strong groups. Which is, I think, mainly because in Austria, you don’t really have competitional thinking in schools. Maybe you have someone who wants to get the best marks, but most of the time (at least, I remember it that way) we don’t have any sports- or activity-groups which could bully one another.
The only thing, I experienced, was that most of the time, in nearly every school year, there will be an outsider in the class. I became one, just because I was very innocent (I was forbidden to curse in my ground school by my parents and therefore didn’t really know any curse words and….I was too nice). My Classmates made fun of me, but I didn’t really recognized it. Until I heard some really ugly comments. I was desperate and somehow started to gain more weight than it was healthy. That made it more fun to them, to put me down….Well, but somehow I managed to concentrate on my marks (and I have an older sister, which was really useful) and as soon as I could, I changed school and it was the best thing I could do
Well, now to my cultural point (I don’t want to bore you ):
In my country, is most of the time nearly all ‘popular’ kids against the other ‘not so popular’ kids or outsiders. And most of us, even outsiders, have at least one friend, even if its, as it was in my case, the outsider of another class

I am indeed looking forward to the next pages of your comic. It makes me kind of sentimental and sad, but also happy to read the story. It remindes me of my teenager years (well, I’m in my twenties, so I’m not that old XD) and as you already mentioned: Now, because of them, I’m stronger. Or at least not that naive as I was with 12

By: Diana

Diana — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 17:22:58 +0000

Thank you so much for comments and emails. Minna your perspective is enlightening as to the difference in cultures. I appreciate you shedding some light.

By: Geoff

Geoff — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 16:23:10 +0000

Thank you so much for sharing Minna – your English was great!

By: Minna

Minna — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 23:56:05 +0000

I find really hard to read all this things, because I’m Portuguese, and live very far away from that highschool reality. When I was younger I though that all that things that I saw on the movies were not real. Just a figment of someone’s imagination, and that kids could not treat each other so badly. Then I met some people from America and even from the UK and they told me that it was real. Well, I was shocked.
I’m happy I went through highschool in Portugal. I’m fat since I was ten and although some people made fun of me, I had great experiences in highschool. I know that I am a great person, but sometimes I believe that if I had lived in other contry it would’ve been terrible.
I really wish that this comic reach more and more people and raise awareness about this topic. Finally, I think that you are a very strong person and good luck for now and for the future. You certainly deserve it.

(Oh, and I’m sorry for any mistakes I made. English is not my first language)

By: Geoff

Geoff — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 17:33:05 +0000

Such a great post, D.

By: Maxine Maven

Maxine Maven — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 21:46:08 +0000

Thanks for sharing this, Diana. Bullying seems to have become an “accepted” part of ‘being a kid’, and it shouldn’t be. You and others, by continuing to share your story, WILL make a difference – whether it be in one person’s life, or many; it’s important that stories like this be told. Much love, MM.

By: The Webcomic Factory - Thursday on the Network Affiliates…

The Webcomic Factory - Thursday on the Network Affiliates… — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 17:41:06 +0000

[...] At Hot Mess, Diana Falzone shares her personal experience with bullying. [...]

By: Anthony Mark

Anthony Mark — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 14:55:38 +0000

Thank you for sharing this specific memory with us Diana.
In reading Hot Mess you have given all of us details of your time in high school which was a very difficult time for you personally
I deeply appreciate you revealing all of this to us and I know that its going to help so many people today, both parents and students alike.

Lets all thank Mrs J for taking a moment to help motivate you and keep you on track
All this must have happened sometime in late 1990s and look at all the success you have obtained today

To everyone at the Hot Mess Team

THANK YOU