Ariana C. • Massachusetts • 25
I was 12, and it was the first day of Thanksgiving break. I went to the bathroom in the morning and discovered the stain on my underwear. I immediately thought I was sick.
I went to my mom in fear and she just laughed and explained I had gotten my first period. I cried because i didn't want to deal with bleeding every month for the rest of my life.
I was too shy to ask the teacher if I could go to the bathroom, so up to that point I had always just held it until I got home. I tried doing this on my period until I had stained one too many chairs and decided it was time to suck it up. Every period was anxiety-inducing.
