Ms. Jean's Sweater

Taylor S.  •  Arizona  •  26

At the beginning of the school year my 6th grade teacher told us a story about a student that wet their pants and threw up at the same time. In order to keep the class from finding out this kid had wet their pants, our teacher gave him her sweater to put around his waist. We all laughed at this poor anonymous kid’s expense. 

A few months later I’m sitting at my table, which is across from my crush. I felt something wet, grabbed the hall pass, and rushed to the bathroom. When I realized I was starting my period and had leaked through my jeans I went to the nurse’s office. I poked my head in, saw a boy from my class sitting there and decided to back track to my class. When I got to my class I quietly went up to my teacher’s desk and whispered, “Ms. Jean, I started my period...” she gave me her sweater to put around my waist and I realized everyone would think I peed my pants like in her story!

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Maybe some students had seen my pants before I wore Ms. Jean’s sweater or maybe they inferred that since I was a girl it was my period, but the class figured it out. I heard my crush ask a girl at my table, “What’s that thing called that Taylor has?” The girl responded, “It comes at the end of a sentence.” Then I crawled into a hole to die of embarrassment.

I Got Gold!

Samyuktha B.  •  Chennai, India  •  31

I got my period when I was very young. I have no recollection of the incident at all except for a vague memory of getting a set of gold earrings from my Grandparents, and that's about it. Yes, it's a custom in India in some cultures to celebrate the 'new woman' of the house. So I called my mom and asked her what happened. She said "You were 10 and I CRIED!"

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Apparently, she went to our elderly grandma neighbor and asked her what to do because she was in shock that her 5th-grade baby was bleeding. Then I asked my Godmother because I thought she might remember more. Nope! She just remembers buying me new traditional Indian clothes. But they both did say that I was pretty chill and wanted to go to school the very next morning like a BAWSE! Pretty sweet memories if you ask me. I was strong, nonchalant and got gifts! Sweet!

Congrats & Goody Bags

Julie R.  •  Indiana  •  23

Ever since the "talk" in 5th grade, I was anxious to embark on a wonderful journey to womanhood... or so I thought. The goody bag they gave us afterwards had pantyliners, tampons, and deodorant. They should have called it a puberty starter kit. By the beginning of middle school, most of my friends had gotten theirs. I was excited for them, especially because I showed them how a tampon worked after researching them for my own knowledge and using the ones from the goody bag to examine. When my time came, I was at school. Middle school that is, as if it couldn't get worse.

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I bought time with some toilet paper. Little did I know, toilet paper would be a trick to keep forever when you're desperate. After school, I called my mom. She had recently had a hysterectomy, so the house was bone dry of feminine products. I thought I might as well be honest with her so she can help me. Next thing I know, she's walking through the door with a gift bag that says "CONGRATULATIONS!" and is full of products. Yeah... she was excited and we still joke about it to this day. Needless to say, when I have my own daughter, I'm going to have to one up my mom.