Because they have not hurt me physically, I decided to put up with the torment, and hopefully the experience will allow me to build a thicker skin.

What the fuck. No. This is absolutely wrong. You are being bullied. Period. Just because they're not laying their sweaty meat hands on you, doesn't mean they're not bullying you. If they're causing you emotional and mental distress, which is clearly obvious from your post, then they're bullying you. Bullying does not come from just physical violence, this isn't grade school. You need to inform your instructor of the situation and hopefully they can resolve this issue. Your classmates are grown ass adults. They should know by now that action has consequences.

Let me tell you something. Asking for help during a difficult situation takes a lot of courage. I thought asking my peers for help when I was bullied meant I wasn't good enough to overcome my own difficulties by myself when now I realize that's not true at all. Be proud you have come this far, and don't let the idea that you should tackle these human filth alone get to your head. Don't let those meatbags dissuade you from the fact that you're a wonderful human, and that you're pursuing a noble career.

I hope you receive better responses than my own. I think I went on my own rant there... Sorry, I've been drinking a bit tonight. Good luck!