I am lucky to go to a school that provides me good education and support from my family and school. We talk about physical and mental health in health class at school. In case of any problem I know that I can reach out to my teachers and my family to support me.

Throughout high school, I have noticed that especially in my humanities and participation based classes, I noticed a difference between myself and my female peers in comparison to my male peers. In particular, the male students in my classes tended to be more confident and inclined to share their views in comparison to the female students. In fact a poll taken for my school newspaper showed that this trend was supported by the numbers too. By writing this article, I was able to discover that as opposed to common belief, gender disparities still pervade school classrooms to a significant extent, and a lot of work had to be done to truly eliminate these from our environments.

Self confidence is something I really struggled with greatly. Whenever I used to look at my reflection, I didn't like my face. I have been dealing with acne for a long time, and for that reason, I didn't like my face. Truth is, it's okay to not like some aspects of our body, but it is important to embrace ourselves because we all are unique in our own way ways. Self-love does not make anyone a selfish person. Rather, it helps to boost one's self confidence. If I don't love myself, no one will do that for me. All I want to say is that we should love who we are, and try to have a positive mindset on our image. Doing self care and loving ourselves can help us feel confident.

Pretty interesting, isn't it? The journey a little girl has to go through to be a young lady. A lot of girls out there are curious to know that some other girls might be afraid. But at the end of the day, every little girl goes through this journey and turns out to be a beautiful young lady. Generally, every girl goes through similar experiences, but there is also a lot of variety. I will try my best to include those parts of this journey which are similar for every girl. Typically, a girl starts this journey of their life between the ages of 8 to 13. This journey is widely known as “female puberty,” or “pubertal development in girls.” The stages of this journey include the thelarch, pubarche, and menarche. These three stages are very crucial for us as they ensure our physical and mental development to a great extent. The term “thelarche” refers to the development of our chest. On the other hand, “pubarche” refers to the development of pubic hair, and the term “menarche” refers to the cycle of menstruation. We noticed that “thelarche” and “pubarche” both involve physical development. But, a lot of girls may not know or understand the “menarche” stage. Many might question themselves saying “What is menstruation?” And honestly, you should be, because it is a very, very significant fragment of our life. Now then, what is menstruation actually? What does it do? Is it physical or mental development? How does it affect our health? There might be too many questions on your mind. Let me elaborate on myself. Menstruation is the monthly shedding of the lining of the uterus in females. It is a regular and natural change that occurs in the female reproductive system to make pregnancy possible. In easier terms, menstruation is the monthly discharge of blood and tissue from the uterine lining through the vagina. Now don't get scared because it involves blood. In fact, be proud of yourself and your body because it's capable of discharging blood–that too, monthly. As mentioned before, yes, this is a very important phase of life, as it allows you to get pregnant in the future. So yes, we have to go through this. “Does it hurt?” “How do I stop the bleeding?” “Is there any way to prevent it?” There might be too many questions on your mind again. And once again, let me answer all of them. Yes, it hurts a lot. Like come on, you're bleeding. One thing to keep in mind: it happens for five continuous days for a month. It can be seven to ten days for a few girls. So, that's a relief. And, do not get scared of the bleeding or pain. Seriously. It's nothing to be afraid of. Look at your mom. She gave birth to you. And she went through labor pain. That aside she went through menstruation too. She goes through it every month. You might not even notice it. My point is that every girl goes through this. And honestly, it might sound pretty tough, but it's actually worth it. Besides, you're a brave girl there. You are a strong, beautiful girl who is excited about all of the adventures of life. It's going to be a piece of cake for you. Your motto should be not to be afraid. If you're afraid this might be a challenge. So my suggestion is to take it easy. It's going to be okay. You can't stop the bleeding, nor prevent it. But, you can manage it by following some hygiene and rules. First of all, whenever your period or menstruation starts, use a hygienic product like a pad or something else. It depends on what you're comfortable with. You need to have a healthy diet filled with protein and vitamins. If it hurts too much, you can you can have some painkillers or consult a doctor. And they are your tour guide for your physical concerns. Menstruation also affects you mentally, and this is another reason why it’s a vital portion of life. Periods help us by shaping our mentality. I've heard a few people say “Girls get mature through their period.” While I surely can't say how much of a truth this is, I can definitely say it affects us mentally. You might go through mood swings, anxiety, fatigue, etc. You might also face sadness or even depression. Cognitive changes are possible too. At this time, you don't know what you might face. So, do not hide it from your parents. They are the ones who will support you through this and help you overcome this difficult period. This is probably how you mature through your period. But again, don't worry and be brave. You got this. You will face many hormonal changes too. But, hormonal changes vary from person to person. Now let's talk about some dark truths related to this. While reading, did it concern you how society may react to this? It may or may concern you, but you have to be careful. In some places, menstruation is considered as a taboo. Yes, they think it’s impure and forbids us from doing a lot of things. Society is starting to change its perspective, slowly but surely, and becoming more positive about it. But still, be careful. Not because you will be teased, but because of your sense of your self-respect. You will be surprised, but this common natural phenomenon is not perceived normally. Still, some people get shy while talking about it. Some boys even tease girls about it. But, after all, this is society. These are the challenges you need to face. But, I can assure you, the situation is slowly changing. So, we have got nothing to worry about. But, be careful. I hope I could help all of you by giving you a general idea of what you will go through. I really hope that my lovely young girls out there are helped by this message. Remember that you are going to be alright.

Girls' health is a crucial aspect of overall societal well-being, encompassing physical, mental and emotional dimensions. During childhood and adolescence, girls undergo significant developmental changes that require proper nutrition, physical activity and health care. Access to education and health information empowers them to make informed choices about their bodies and future. Additionally, mental health support is vital as girls navigate the challenges of growing up facing pressures from academic, social and sometimes familiar expectations. Ensuring girls have a safe environment free from violence and discrimination is essential for their healthy development. By addressing these needs comprehensively, society can foster a generation of healthy, confident and capable women.

Growing up, I always excelled in school. Education was my escape, a realm where I felt confident and capable. However, my journey wasn't always smooth. When I was in grade 5, I had to change schools and move to a new one for grade 6. The transition was challenging. I struggled to study, communicate with others, and fit in with my new classmates. During my time in school, I also had to endure a lot of bad comments about my height and weight. These hurtful remarks affected my self esteem and made it even harder to focus on my studies. On top of that, I was dealing with some personal issues at home, which added to the stress and made concentration on schoolwork difficult. By the time I reached high school, I started to struggle with several anxiety. The pressure to maintain high grades combined with the expectations of my teachers and parents began to take a toll on my mental health. I remember the night spent staring at my textbooks and notes, unable to concentrate because of my overwhelming fear of failure. My anxiety manifested physically too. I experienced frequent headaches, body pain and stomach aches. Despite these challenges, I was reluctant to seek help, fearing it would be seen as a sign of weakness. One day I decided to talk about these with one of my friends. She encouraged me to talk to the school counselor, who helped me understand that my mental health was just as important as my academic achievements. With her support, I learned coping strategies to manage my anxiety and gradually found a balance between my studies and self care. Sharing my story with other girls who might be going through similar experiences is important to me. I want them to know that it's okay to seek help and prioritize their mental health. Education is vital and so is our well-being. By taking care of ourselves, we can truly thrive and reach our potential our full potential. Thank you.