Demetra's 1st Period:
It was NYE 2005 going into 2006, and I was 11 years old. I remember being curled-up like a ball on a bench in the dining room of my aunt's house. I was having intense stomach cramps and thought I was getting sick. As the clock struck midnight, and I was there curled-up in my fetal position rocking back and forth to help ignore the cramps, everyone in my family started cheering and celebrating, "Happy New Year!" ...I, however, was pleased that I was able to just wait it out until midnight and then rushed to the bathroom with my intense belly cramps. To my complete surprise, the New Year had something new in-store for me, my period.Â
I remember crying as I saw all the blood and realizing that I am going to have this each month from now on. I was thinking "Why me?? Why now? I don't want this yet! I'm only 11." Obviously, some of these questions are funny to me now, because it is a natural process, and not as if I was being targeted by something negative. But, at that time, and reflecting back, it is surprising to me that I had such a negative connotation of a period, especially when I was only 11 years old.Â
To add to the "drama," my mom only had a pantyliner with her, so I was stuck with some inadequate coverage. Needless to say, I was embarrassed to walk around my brother and cousins (all boys) in the house during NYE, with the fear that my blood would start leaking everywhere.Â
I'm definitely less embarrassed or shy about it now, but this was a memorable moment, and one that could have been better, had I had the right resources and education to prepare myself.Â