Kim P • New Jersey • 25
I was 12 years old, I was in 6th grade and I was going to field hockey practice. I honestly remember actually talking about getting our periods with my teammate just before heading to the field. But I had this horrible stomach pains so I told her I’d meet her out there after I used the bathroom.
To my disbelief there was this gross guck in my underwear and I didn’t even know what the hell it was. I just cleaned it up with some toilet paper and put some extra toilet paper in my underwater.
I bet you can guess where this story is going. No? I’ll tell ya. The toilet paper somehow unfolded and was like a flag coming out of my shorts after running sprints. Yup. Everyone saw it, including the boys soccer team.
I was more embarrassed by this toilet paper than I was of my actual period. Of course I didn’t realize it was my period until I went home and told my mom. Who promptly made me hot cocoa and gave me a giant pad— which I cried over because what even are those things?
