On Sept. 16, 17-year-old Canadian Akash Wadhwa committed suicide after posting on Tumblr that he was bullied and “life had become too much.” Too often I find myself hearing or reading about tragic teenage suicides, such as Akash’s, due to bullying and pressure to fit in.

44,000 lives a year are taken by suicide, making suicide the third leading cause of death among young people according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. This needs to stop.

People sitting in the very same room as you may feel that they are unable to stand out because individuals who do not conform with the status-quo are often treated differently. We all know that one kid in class who dresses, talks and acts differently than our standards. While we might think gossiping about that student behind their back is not harmful, words can have a lasting effect. What you say can still be hurtful, even if you think the person is not listening.

FHN Counselor Joyce Barker feels that the first step to stop bullying is to stop making assumptions based on your first impressions of people. It’s not fair to pick on others especially when you are judging them based on what’s on the surface instead of getting to know them.

Without acceptance, teenagers will continue to resort to the extreme of suicide. We need to look past the differences of others and get the know them for the person that they are instead of the person that they appear to be.