18 Words That Mean Something Completely Different When You're On Your Period

You only appreciate how much toilet paper you actually use when you're on your period.

1. "Leak"

Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed

What it means to everyone else: To lose contents through a hole or crack.

What it means when you’re on your period: Doubling up on a pad on the heaviest night of your period and somehow waking up in a puddle of your own blood, despite your best efforts.

Example sentence: FFS, I just leaked all over my new sheets and I changed them YESTERDAY.

2. "Cramp"

Loryn Brantz / BuzzFeed

What it means to everyone else: A sudden muscle contraction, causing a significant amount of pain.

What it means when you’re on your period: The feeling you get when your uterus seems to be punching you repeatedly in the crotch.

Example sentence: Sorry I can't come out today. My cramps are really bad, and also I hate you.

3. "Heavy"

Loryn Brantz / BuzzFeed

What it means to everyone else: A thing, such as a vehicle, that is large or of great weight.

What it means when you’re on your period: A thing, such as a period, that causes you to flush the toilet multiple times, just to get rid of the little streaks of blood in the water.

Example sentence: Ugh, my period is so heavy it's like a blood bath in here.

4. "Sneeze"

Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed

What it means to everyone else: A sudden expulsion of air from the nose and mouth.

What it means when you’re on your period: The act that causes ~The Great Gushing~.

Example sentence: This might be TMI, but I just sneezed and basically felt the entirety of my uterus empty out onto my pad.

5. "Wing"

Flo Perry / BuzzFeed

What it means to everyone else: A bird's forelimb that's used for flying.

What it means when you’re on your period: A sticky mechanism on a pad that’s most painful when stuck to your pubes.

Example sentence: ARGH, I got the wing caught AGAIN.

6. "Clot"

Gena-mour Barrett / BuzzFeed

What it means to everyone else: A thick mass of coagulated material stuck together, especially blood.

What it means when you’re on your period: The above, but something you also have a weird compulsion to stare at whenever you see it.

Example sentence: Okay not to be gross, but blood clots are super squishy.

7. "Sleeve"

Becky Barnicoat / BuzzFeed

What it means to everyone else: The part of an item of clothing that covers a person's arm.

What it means when you’re on your period: The perfect place to smuggle a pad or tampon on your way to the toilet.

Example sentence: Just shove the tampon up your sleeve, no one will notice!

8. “Sweat”

Gena-mour Barrett / BuzzFeed

What it means to everyone else: The moisture that comes out of the pores of your skin.

What it means when you’re on your period: The thing in your butt that you constantly confuse with leaking blood all over the seat you’re sitting on.

Example sentence: [see the above image]

9. "Check"

Becky Barnicoat / BuzzFeed

What it means to everyone else: The act of examining an item's condition.

What it means when you’re on your period: A routine activity your friend has to do whenever you suspect you may have perioded all over your trousers.

Example sentence: Karen, can you check my butt?

10. "Double-check"

Jasmin Nahar / BuzzFeed

What it means to everyone else: To check something for a second time to ensure it's safe.

What it means when you’re on your period: The thing you always do after getting up from a chair in case you’ve leaked all over it.

Example sentence: Let me just double-check that splodge on the chair wasn't me.

11. "White"

Becky Barnicoat

What it means to everyone else: The lightest colour of the spectrum.

What it means when you’re on your period: A colour you must avoid at all time.

Example sentence: I really wanna wear my white jeans but I'm on my period and I'm scared I'll ruin them.

12. "Emotion"

Becky Barnicoat / BuzzFeed

What it means to everyone else: A strong feeling deriving from mood or circumstances.

What it means when you’re on your period: That you'll probably feel more than 5 feelings in the space of an hour.

Example sentence: YES I'M ON PERIOD BUT THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHY I'M SCREAMING RIGHT NOW.

13. "Penguin"

BBC

What it means to everyone else: A flightless, aquatic bird.

What it means when you’re on your period: The walk you do whenever your thighs are clenched and you can feel it coming.

Example sentence: "Why are you walking like a penguin?" "Mind your business, Dave."

14. "Towel"

Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed

What it means to everyone else: A piece of fabric used to dry or wipe your body.

What it means when you’re on your period: The item you sometimes sleep on to protect your bed from leaks. (Spoiler alert: it rarely works.)

Example sentence: I'm just gonna put this towel down and hope for the best.

15. "Late"

Buena Vista Pictures Distribution / Casey Gueren / BuzzFeed

What it means to everyone else: When something takes place after the expected time.

What it means when you’re on your period: FUCK, IS THAT A BABY?!

Example sentence: There is literally no reason why I could be pregnant, but I'm late, so I must be.

16. "Toilet paper"

Kristin Chirico / Getty Images / BuzzFeed

What it means to everyone else: Paper sheets used for wiping oneself after using the toilet.

What it means when you’re on your period: You'll need about 20 rolls to get you through your cycle.

Example sentence: I've had to wipe myself with toilet paper five times already and I'm STILL not done.

17. "Surprise"

Def Jam / Sandra Lomotey / BuzzFeed

What it means to everyone else: An unexpected or astonishing event.

What it means when you’re on your period: An unexpected or astonishing event that feels like it's PURPOSELY RUINING YOUR LIFE.

Example sentence: Surprise bitch, I bet you thought you saw the last of me — your period.

18. "Poo"

Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed

What it means to everyone else: The act of removing waste from the body, preferably in a toilet.

What it means when you’re on your period: The most intense poos known to man.

Example sentence: I just did the best period poo ever, which would explain why I've been gone for 30 minutes.