When I was a little girl, there was always a commercial I would imitate where a woman would be grunting while she was having trouble putting on her jeans. I’ve come to realize that this commercial was a result of period symptoms and the woman was experiencing bloating. As an adult woman, I now know the truth and can relate my own experiences to the women in the commercials and have come to the conclusion that periods suck and they cost a lot more than a few dollars a month.
Your period costs you the fun plans you had.
All you wanted to do is go outside and enjoy the fresh air, but then a wave of nausea hits you and suddenly that plan to go out has turned into an impromptu binge-watching session on the couch. Periods take over your whole day.
Your period costs you your energy.
This one is mental, physical, and emotional. Rescheduling plans because your cramps can cause you to feel a little helpless and sad. Having to sit around and deal with cramps in a classroom setting is also not the best way to retain energy. In addition to this, you have to deal with sometimes being moody on or around your period too – it’s a pretty draining process.
Your period costs you real money. A lot of it.
Yes, they literally cost. Women have all different types of preferences and sometimes being picky can mean that you are breaking the bank a little more than usual. Liners, Maxi-Pads, and Tampons aren’t just something you can mess around with. You have your favorites and you use them all the time. Imagine: If products were free, you’d have a lot more money for burritos. Just a thought.
You see? So the cost of your period goes well beyond what’s in your pockets. There’s more to periods than the cramps and the bloating commercials I’d watched as a kid. Periods are a pain to have and they’re expensive to deal with.
*This article is in collaboration with Her Campus Rowan. Check out their article “10 Things You Might Not Know About Birth Control Pills.”