School can be a hard time. Raging hormones, groupism, trying to fit in, knowing the newest trends, oh, and assignments. But the most mortifying bit is being bullied and ending up eating alone in a cafeteria that’s flooded with teens.
Sick of it all, Natalie Hampton, 16, of Sherman Oaks, took matters in her own hands and developed an app to combat just that. Aptly titled “Sit With Us“, the app launched for Apple’s iOS devices allows users to find and join a lunch group while completely eliminating the painfully awkward initial moments of interaction. Breaking the ice/bread just got easier.
Natalie, a victim of bullying in her former school was fairly accustomed to feeling isolated, lonely, and vulnerable to her schoolmates. Several bullying events led to Natalie spiralling into recurring nightmares, stress, depression, and hospitalization due to health issues. Seeking help online was never an option since bullies were relentless when it came to tormenting someone in cyberspace.
Natalie was highly familiar with this and hence chose to develop an app that will create a highly conducive atmosphere for teens seeking lunch companions at their schools.
Bullying has always persisted in schools across America, and the prime reason for their persistence is the need to feel entitled, powerful, and authoritative which is achieved by tormenting the weak and humble. Hopefully “Sit With Us” seems like yet another stepping stone in making the future Americans more sensitive, liberal, and attuned towards fellow humans.
Image is a YouTube screengrab.
