Whether you are heading to your first year of college or are heading back to finish your last one, packing up all the things you need can be time consuming.
As a girl, packing is inherently more time consuming because we have to decide which pairs of shoes have to stay, and where we are going to fit our bulk sized shampoo and conditioner. But there is always one thing that girls tend to forget about before it’s too late: your period. Unfortunately your period doesn’t take time off to let you settle in, or skip a month to let you cram for exams, and so often what we pack ends up not being enough to help us through these tough times.
Lucky for you, I’ve compiled a list of female must-haves that will save you. Scouts honor.
1. Midol & Raspberry Leaf Tea
First and foremost, pack something that will help you with the pain. It may seem obvious but so often girls, including myself; forget to pack any kind of cramp soothing medication. Pick up a bottle or two of Midol and grab some raspberry leaf tea from the grocery store. Raspberry leaf tea is great for helping you deal with cramps and period irregularities because of its high content of calcium and fragrine, which helps to regulate hormones and prevent heavy periods.
2. Comfy Pants
When your body is headed straight for Bloat City, help it get there in comfort. Pack a few pairs of comfy pants that you can throw on when you get home from class. Trust me when I say this: there is nothing quite like crashing on the couch in sweat pants and binge-watching The Mindy Project when you’re on your period. Trust.
3. Heat
One of the items that I didn’t pack (and thoroughly regretted not packing) is a hot water bottle or heating pad. When you’re on your 3rd glass of raspberry leaf tea and you’ve already taken 2 Midols, and your cramps are still making you try every yoga pose known to man (and some unknown), a hot water bottle will come to your rescue. They ease cramp pain and are easy to cuddle with; or if you prefer having a heating pad, just remember to unplug it when you go to bed. The last thing you need to be dealing with when you’re on your period is a dorm fire that you started.
4. Favorite Show
Maybe you’ve grasped that I enjoy The Mindy Project, but what is more important is finding a show (or even a movie) that can take your mind off of your pain or mood swings? I like a show that makes me laugh but maybe you’re more into intense action, or zombies, or Disney princesses (another great choice). Whatever your taste, choose a show that you never fail to enjoy so that when Mother Nature comes knocking, you can invite her in for a girls night of lying on the couch and watching Netflix (in your sweat pants, of course.)
5. Healthy snacks
I am already a chocoholic so when my period comes around, I don’t stand a chance against sweets, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Make sure you have an arsenal of healthy treats for when your period visits so you can supplement your ramen noodle breakfast with apple slices and dark chocolate.
6. The DivaCup & DivaWash
Last, but certainly not least, my period MVP: The DivaCup. If you haven’t heard about The DivaCup, it is a reusable menstrual cup that collects your flow instead of absorbing it like a tampon. You can wear it for 12 hours at a time and it is free of chemicals, plastics and dyes. It is a total game changer. Plus, because The DivaCup is reusable, you can say goodbye to purchasing tampons every month with that ever-dwindling student budget.
In addition to The DivaCup, I like to use the DivaWash, which is a gentle cleanser that is used to wash The DivaCup between uses, but has a ton of other uses as well. It makes an excellent body wash and I’ve even used it as shampoo when I ran out of mine (and felt bad about stealing my roommates.)
May you learn from my experiences and take this list to heart. Now go forth Campus Divas and have a fantastic, prepared and pain free semester.
