>> My friends didn't have such support and suffered from it Could the real difference maybe be the homelife? The act of supporting you in spite of bullying and

>> My friends didn't have such support and suffered from it Could the real difference maybe be the homelife? The act of supporting you in spite of bullying and school administrators in some sense communicates to you that you are worthwhile and ought to be confident. Maybe the bullying in your friends lives compounded a lack of confidence unintentionally fostered in their homelives?