One of my most embarrassing moments happened when I was in secondary school, and honestly, whenever I think about it now, I just laugh. But that day? I wanted the ground to open and swallow me.
I was in SS1 then. You know that age where everyone is trying to act “grown” and nobody wants to look like a small girl anymore. One day, some of my classmates started talking about menstruation. It was one of those random school discussions that suddenly became serious, with everyone sharing their experiences.
The problem was, I hadn’t started mine yet. I knew about menstruation, though. I had heard enough about it from health talks and older people, so I wasn’t clueless. Still, as everyone was talking, I didn’t want to just stand there looking lost or different. I didn’t want anyone to label me as “behind.”
So, under pressure, I lied. I said I had started too and joined the discussion. Since I knew a few things already, I blended in well. At least, I thought I did.
One of the girls in that group had her younger sister in the same class as us. We talked, laughed, and said things we probably shouldn’t have said so freely. After that day, I didn’t think about the conversation again.
What I didn’t know was that when they got home, the younger sister went and told her elder sister everything we talked about, including my own contribution.
The next day in school, the elder sister walked straight up to me, bold and confident. No greeting, nothing. She just asked, “When did you start your menstruation?”
That question caught me off guard completely. Before I could even think, she started asking follow-up questions, questions I had no answers to because, well, I was lying. My heart started beating fast. My face was hot. I felt so exposed and embarrassed.
At that moment, I knew I had entered trouble by my own hand. I mumbled something I can’t even remember now and quickly found a way to escape. The rest of the day, I couldn’t focus in class. I just kept thinking, “Why did I even lie in the first place?”
Secondary school can really be funny. Small things feel like life-and-death situations back then.
Looking back now, I honestly wonder, what was the question even for? Why was it so important to know who had started menstruating and who hadn’t? It didn’t make any sense. Everybody’s body works differently, and there’s no competition in growing up.
Just recently, I saw a funny video online about this exact issue, and I laughed so hard. That was when it hit me that I wasn’t alone. A lot of people went through this same kind of embarrassment in secondary school. Somehow, those who developed early, started wearing bras early or started menstruation early, often made others feel bad without even realizing it.
Now, when I think about that moment, I laugh. What felt so big and embarrassing then is just a funny memory now. But it also taught me a lesson I’ll never forget: don’t let pressure push you into pretending to be something you’re not.
Everyone grows at their own pace, and secondary school just has a way of teaching you that the hard way.
