What Do I Do If I Get My Period at School and Don't Have a Pad?

By: Rhea Roy

Getting your period unexpectedly at school without a pad is basically a rite of passage, but there's zero reason to panic. Your fastest fix is to just ask a friend. It's not embarrassing, every girl's been there, and she'll get it immediately. No luck? The school office always has backups, and grabbing one takes seconds flat. Here's exactly how to handle a period emergency like a pro.

Step 1: Ask Your Girl Friends First

Before you overthink it, turn to the people around you. Seriously, just ask your friends! Everyone goes through it, and your girl friends would probably relate and immediately jump to help.

Even if you aren't super close with the girls sitting next to you in class, girls look out for girls. A quick, whispered, "Hey, do you happen to have a spare pad?" will almost always result in someone digging through their bag to help you out.

Step 2: Head straight to the School Office

If your friends are fresh out, your next best stop is the front office. Your school office most likely has a stash of pads right at the front desk specifically for emergencies like this.

If you feel a little too shy to walk up and ask directly for a pad, you can totally use code words to ease your anxiety. Try rephrasing it by asking for "hygiene products."

Still feeling nervous? Try these tricks:

• Ask a trusted friend to walk to the office with you for moral support. Standing there with a bestie makes everything feel instantly less intimidating.

• The administrative staff see hundreds of students a day and hand these out constantly. If they have them sitting at the desk, you can quickly take one and walk away. I promise you, absolutely no one is taking a second glance or thinking twice about it. They are just happy to help you get back to class!

The Emergency Toilet Paper Hack

If you are stuck in the bathroom stall right now reading this and need a fix this exact second before you can walk to the office, don't worry. Grab a roll of toilet paper and wrap it firmly around the center of your underwear multiple times to create a thick, temporary makeshift pad. It won't hold up for hours, but it will easily buy you enough time to walk down the hallway to the office or find a friend without any leaking.

At the end of the day, a surprise period is not an emergency worth stressing over. It happens to literally every girl at some point, so the second it happens to you, just remember: you've got this handled, and you'll be back in class before anyone even notices.