Help please! Graduation problem

[Gradulater]

Hi

It’s my graduation tomorrow and Mother Nature has decided to strike today. This is the heaviest period I have ever had (usually they are very light) and I’m having to change tampons every 2 hours or risk leaking.

im supposed to be graduating tomorrow at 4 but will be robed up at 2- if I change my tampon before getting the gown on at say 1.50, I’ll need to change again before the ceremony starts at 4 or else I won’t be out until 6 and i am risking leaking. So I need to change at some point again before the ceremony starts but I’ll have my gown on. I’ve never graduated before so I don’t know if I’m stressing about a none existent problem but the gowns seem so long and bulky and huge- is it possible to go to the toilet in them and change a tampon? Or would I need to get undressed out of it to go to the toilet and then put it back on again?

any help would be very gratefully received! I’m stressed out about the entire day and this has made it even more stressful

You just take it off and get someone to hold it. I carried mine round til the thing as it is too bloody hot anyway.

Congratulations on graduating!

Mine was more like a cape. Comes off easily. Don’t remember actually going to the toilet tho.

Can you wear a pad too, or period pants?

That’s fantastic thank you very much for helping!

Yes they look very heavy, combined with the hot weather I’m sure we’ll be roasting! are they usually straightforward enough to take on/off?

I wish I could but I don’t own any period underwear unfortunately and pads really irritate my skin!

Mother Nature always seems to pick the most inconvenient time to show up!

You shouldn't have any issue going to the loo with your gown on.

I do suggest you stop off en route and pick up tampons in the next absorbency though!

Congratulations :)

Yes, just a cape and then the coloured thing round the neck.

Look for a YouTube video now to make you feel better.

Mine was easy enough to take on and off! I don’t remember it being super heavy either but I graduated in December so I can’t comment on the heat.

I’d be tempted to double up and wear a pad / period pants as PP suggests, might help you feel less anxious about leaks during the ceremony.

Primark sell them if you could get there in the morning?

Just seen your update, I’m sure it will be fine with just a tampon.

There will be lots of ushers there and people helping, so if you do need to go to the loo during the ceremony / whilst you’re lining up then just ask. I have volunteered in these roles previously and have had people in similar situations and we would always find a way for you to get to a toilet if you needed it.

Oh I feel a lot better now thanks for all your advice! There’s a primark 2 doors up from the venue so I’ll pop in before and try to pick up some period underwear, I wasn’t even aware they sold them!

thanks ladies 😀

It's like wearing a coat - just take it off and put it on again. Period underwear will help too

I'm an academic so have been to a fair few graduations. Yes, you can take it off and yes I've been to the loo in mine.

Congratulations on graduating

If it's really stressful, put a flannel in place of a pad, with a super plus tampon. Degree gowns are lightweight and just go over your clothes, not like an actual "garment" so to speak.
Go just before the ceremony starts, then straight after.
.maybe wear dark clothing for peace of mind, but honestly, you will be ok.
Congratulations on getting your degree!

A gown is basically just a light coat type thing and is pretty easy to remove or just lift up like a skirt. You don’t need to worry and it will hopefully have eased up a lot by today. Congratulations and have a great day. Take some ibuprofen- it’ll reduce cramping and the rate of flow for a bit.

Gowns are like a light cloak. So no extra heat/weight really and shouldn't be too hard to go to the loo in. Is there a loo right near wherever you're getting gowned up? Pop in just before you go to be gowned to give yourself the max amount of time. Use a very high absorbency tampon and either a pair of primark period pants as mentioned above if you have time to get some or a big pad.

Good luck OP and congrats OP - have an amazing day! I do know how you feel; my period is light for ages and then suddenly all breaks loose for 36-48h of Amazon-rapid heavy flow. I'm getting married in November and have been worried for months about the likelihood of reaching my heavy days during my wedding!

Sounds like you have it all.in hand, but have you tried maternity pads, I have found them ait less irritating then regular sanitary pads.