The human memory is pretty standard for all. There are some things you remember – important occasions, birthdays of loved ones, embarrassing moments – and some things you forget – chores given to you by your mother before she goes out, the entire syllabus before your exam, etc. However, there is one day in life that only girls will have the opportunity to remember, something that is ingrained into their memory so thoroughly that, if asked, they could spout out the most mundane details about that day without hesitation.
The day a girl first gets her period.
I can still remember the day as if it were yesterday, down to the weather, my mood, and what I was about to do when the moment struck.
It was summer. The day was hellishly hot, the type of weather that requires all the fans to be turned on, much to the parents’ chagrin, whose primary concern always tends to be on the electricity bill. It also happened to be final exam season, adding to the misery. Even as a sixth grader, my ability to stress out until I sweat through my clothes knew no bounds. The hot weather did not help the situation.
My mother, seeing that my sister – who had her ninth-grade exams going on – and I were stressed, told us to take a break and go swimming for an hour to cool ourselves off. That’s when the irreversible moment took place. The moment that would define the next forty or so years of my life.
I was about to change into my bathing suit when I saw it. Blood on my underwear. I froze, my vision tunneling onto the spot of blood that felt like a blessing as well as eternal doom.
I had gotten my period. The visit from Aunt Flo, the crimson tide, the devil’s volcano. I’m not going to lie, when my mother and sister first explained the concept of periods to me, I was excited at the prospect of getting mine. To me, getting my periods meant that I was finally a woman, that I was finally mature. At that moment, however, all I felt was fear. It was like, suddenly, I had forgotten everything my mother had ever told me about periods. A myriad of questions assaulted my head at that moment: Am I sick, do I have some grave illness, do I have to be hospitalized, does this mean I won’t have to write my Hindi exam?
After the initial stage of utter panic, I finally came to my senses. I called out for my mother and sister (screamed more like) and showed them the evidence of my screeched words. My mother immediately went into action. She told my sister to get me a pad and make me a milkshake. She instructed me on how to put the pad on. Thus, started the second-worst part about one’s first period.
Pads. The devil’s advocate and the source of ridiculous discomfort for a girl during her first period. I’m not sure if it was just me or a universal Girl Thing, but all through my first period, whenever I changed my pad, I had to walk like a penguin for a few minutes due to my irrational fear that I would somehow crease the pad if I walked normally, which would cause it to move and result in me leaking through my pants. It brought me an innumerable amount of fresh insults from my sister.
Then there is that aspect of periods that all girls loathe with a burning passion. Cramps. Surprisingly, I felt no pain during my first period. This was surprising because I had seen my sister actually curl into the fetal position during her periods, cursing our entire bloodline for being born a girl. Due to my lack of pain during my first period, I foolishly assumed that I would be one of those girls who did not experience cramps. Alas, my second period came around the corner and nearly reduced me to tears.
A girl’s first period marks an important day. No matter how much pain it might bring you over the next forty years, it is something to be grateful for. It means that your body is healthy and in sync with your brain. It is definitely a moment I revisit over and over again considering it was the one time I was allowed to be dramatic and no one could say anything about it. Who knows, someday, I could even look upon it fondly.
Avani Krishnan is a student in the 11th grade, studying history, economics, political science and maths. She enjoys writing and volunteering at NGOs and animal shelters.
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