I’m kinda scared to go to school tomorrow

It is completely okay to feel nervous about school, especially if you are worried your period might start or you are dealing with cramps or leaks.

What you can pack right now

Having a little backup plan in your bag makes everything feel way less overwhelming. You do not need anything fancy, just a small pouch with a few essentials:

• Two or three pads (change your pad every 4 to 6 hours, sooner on heavy days)
• A spare pair of underwear tucked inside a little plastic bag or ziplock
• A hoodie or flannel you can tie around your waist if you ever feel self-conscious

If your period starts at school and you do not have supplies, head straight to the school nurse, a trusted teacher, or even a friend. Literally almost every adult at school has dealt with periods and they keep supplies on hand just for this.

If you are dealing with cramps

Sitting at a desk when your tummy hurts is genuinely hard. There are medicines that help period pain, and a grown-up decides if you take one, which one and how much, for your age and weight. They tend to work best when a grown-up starts them as soon as the cramps start and keeps them going for the first two or three days. Once your periods come when you expect them, a grown-up can start them a day or two before your period is due. A heat pad, or a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel that a grown-up fills, can help too, and in a few small studies heat worked about as well as medicine.

Tell a grown-up if the pain stops you doing normal things like school, doesn't get better with the pain relief a grown-up gives you, or keeps getting worse from one period to the next.

Also, if these feelings are about something else and you are feeling low, stressed or anxious, keep this in mind: if these feelings don't ease within a few days of your period starting, or they get in the way of school, friends or sleep, tell a grown-up you trust, and tell them straight away if they ever get so big they scare you or you don't feel able to keep yourself safe.