I've been having cramps but no period, and a quiz said it might come next year. Is that accurate?

It sounds like your body is definitely getting ready! It's super normal to have cramps and other period-like feelings before your actual first period starts for real. Sometimes these feelings come and go for months.

What's up with the cramps?

Okay so, those cramps you're feeling? They're totally legit. Your uterus is literally like, getting its practice on because it's figuring out how to do its period thing. It's tightening up a little bit and then relaxing, just getting warmed up for the big show. It's just your body getting adjusted to all the hormone changes happening inside.

Why the quiz might be right

About that "coming next year" thing, it's pretty hard to predict the exact day your first period will show up. No one can really do that, not even doctors. But those quizzes, especially ones on sites created for tweens like us, are usually pretty good at giving you a general timeframe. They ask about things like breast development and discharge, which are big clues that your period is getting closer. So "next year" could totally be accurate!

Just keep an eye out for those other signs too, like if you've had a growth spurt recently, or if you're wearing a bra now. You got this!

Oh, and if you want to find out roughly when yours is coming, you can take a quiz like that on this site: how close is my first period?