Welcome to The Wonders of Womanhood!

This is a blog for women – and for men, but mostly for women – to discuss ideas, share thoughts and commune together while we survive and enjoy the magical passage through womanhood. Anyone can be part of this blog – it’s an opportunity for women to get some reinforcement from a fellow sista, and guys (or other girls) to get the inside scoop on understanding women.

We are the girls from Surviving Studenthood – we write about the trials and tribulations of being a student, and we thought women might need a blog of their own. We want to write about everything women go through (some of it graphic!) and we want to hear your thoughts too.

We are excited to bring you this blog, and we really hope that you find a safe haven here from the perils of womanhood. You are welcome to email in your questions (to be answered personally or via blog post) at survivingstudenthood@gmail.com – just be sure to include “Surviving Womanhood” in the subject, so it goes straight to our personal folder. You can also leave comments at the bottom of each post – and feel free to use an alias or write “anonymous” in the name section if you feel your comment is private or sensitive.

We want to hear all your thoughts and ideas – and if you want to read a post on something we haven’t written, please – give us a shout!

Welcome to The Wonders of Womanhood!

It Smells. Period.

Alright so today The Wonders of Womanhood has decided to tackle a rather uncomfortable situation. You know how annoying it is to have Aunt Flo in town but sometimes…she makes her presence known to others. I remember last year I was sitting in a lecture hall at U of T. A young woman sit in the row behind me. She sat down and a slight shift in the position of her legs and I got a clear whiff of Aunt Flo being in town! It was a rather uncomfortable and sometimes unbearable situation for all!

We would like to tell you – a bad-smelling period is a very normal concern. There is nothing wrong with you. Periods are the discharge of blood, uterine lining and fluids; it’s not a pretty combination and you shouldn’t feel insecure if you notice Aunt Flo is…talking softly but wearing a loud shirt!

So, how can you combat this concern, and make sure Aunt Flow stays in your pants?

1. Try Using a Tampon: The smell from your period becomes magnified when the discharge being exposed to the air. A tampon stops from the discharge from being exposed to the air and may reduce the smell. Be sure, however, that the tampon is the right size. A tampon that isn’t thick enough will leak. One that is too thick may cause TSS.

2. Try Always Feminine Wipes with Pads: Maybe you are not comfortable using tampons? No problem! There are solutions even when you use a pad. I got a bunch of Always pads, and they had a little green pouch attached to each pad. Each pouch contained a wet wipe that smelled fresh and clean. They serve as a really wonderful way clean up “the area” once you put a fresh pad on.

3. Try Lightly Scented Products: Some women suggest lightly scented panty-liners or pads. There doesn’t see to be any real benefit of scented tampons because the discharge isn’t exposed to the air. Lightly scented products sound great in theory – but if your body has a reaction to them, be sure to discontinue the products immediately. Do NOT spray perfume etc. on your vagina – this can cause serious irritation. Keep products used in that area – like soaps – unscented in order to reduce irritation.

4. Trim the Hair: Ladies, hate to be graphic, but keep the pubic hair short! Like a beard, the hair can catch all types of odd bits and ends…and can harbour the smell. Get rid of the hair, if you can!

5. Don’t skimp on showers: Cleanliness is an important part maintaining hygiene  It seems like an obvious one, but a lot of girls get lazy during their period and forget about that. Shower daily – if not twice a day.

6. Change your pad often: For safety and smell reasons, be sure to change your pad often.

7. See a doctor: If the smell is really bad and consistent, it might be the sign of a vaginal infection. Go to your doctor and get tested if necessary.

Every vagina has a unique smell, and that applies even during menstruation. Don’t feel insecure! It’s all part of the Wonders of Womanhood.

~ The Wonders of Womanhood

Tips for Meeting Her Friends (for the first time)

Hey Ladies,

I’ve been dating a girl for about 6 months now, really like her. She invited me to meet her friends next week. Any tips? Wanna make a good impression.

- Chad

Meeting her friends for the first time can be daunting. You know that what her friends think will impact her impression of you, but we’d like to say right off the bat that if she really likes you, she’ll take their impressions with a grain of salt. Either way, I’m sure making the best impression can only be helpful rather than harmful. So, we’ve come up with some tips, and we open the floor to our readers to cover anything we might miss.

Pre-Graduation Jitters (via Surviving Studenthood)

A post for young women ready to graduate and step into a new world of possibilities.

(This post was written in conjunction with The Wonders of Womanhood writers. Many thanks for your words of wisdom, ideas, thoughts….and just the right amount of feminine touch.) I don't know what it is, dear readers, but I have a terrible feeling settling in my soul. Partly, it's because of the upcoming "U of T Hell Week" that sinks its teeth into us next week – I think the amount of assignments, exams and papers I have due next week is worse t … Read More

via Surviving Studenthood

Valentine’s Day: More than Love, It’s about Friendship

The girls here at The Wonders of Womanhood are split on their perception of Valentine’s Day. Some think it’s a wonderful day…others think its a commercialized, unnecessary, gooey-filled gross holiday that induces hate. Haha! We’ll let you decide!

Regardless of your perspective, Valentine’s Day can serve as a wonderful opportunity for renewal; renewal of love, of course, but also of friendship.

My first memory of Valentine’s day was sitting in my kitchen the night-before (yes, I called it Valentine’s Eve) and writing a Valentine’s Day card for every student in my class so I could hand them out the next day. Being part of this annual ritual brought me up with the understanding that Valentine’s Day was about friendship and reminding those around you that their friendship was valued. In fact, for many, many years of my life, dating and love had nothing to do with my Valentine’s Day experience.

So rather than holing up on this red, pink and white holiday and bemoaning your single-status, here is a chance for you to re-evaluate and re-strengthen your friendships.

It’s about the people you let into your life – your family, your co-workers, lost loves and those who have left us. It’s about the shared experiences, the people who are alongside you when you are dreaming – who come into your life and leave an imprint in your heart that aches with joy long after they are gone.

How many friends do you have that you would call if you were in trouble? How many friends do you have that you could really count on, that remember things that are important to you, and never fail to show that they are thinking of you?

Cast off the Shackles of Yesterday! Womankind, Arise!

My best friend always tells her parents how important it is to raise your daughter to think and fight like a guy. “Femininity might get you a guy”, she always says, “but strength will ensure you don’t need one”. In this crazy world we live in, women fight constantly – to be recognized as equals, to have access to the same jobs and resources, to prove tenacity and to rewarded for being excellent leaders. Dare we say it? It’s a man’s world, and a woman should be ready to fight in it.

I think that’s why part of my identity comes from recognizing that I am a fighter; I have been, my whole life: its something I’m proud of, and its something I hope others to recognize in me. I’ll confess I wear my heart on my sleeve; I can be a little insecure, I’m loyal to the point of annoying and I’m meticulous to the brink of insanity.

But with all my flaws, I am a fighter – and I fight when its personal but also when it’s based on principle, even though that can be so much more work. It’s the reason I say I can sometimes be a bitch and, more importantly, it’s the reason I say I am often proud to be one.

Letter to a Guy: I’m Sorry You Missed the Chance to Love Me

Dear Guy,

Here I am again – stuck in the same position that guys like you leave me in every time. I start off really liking you and after a lot of muster of guts, I asked you out – or maybe you pursued me first – but either way, I get hooked. You make me think you could really like me – and I’m not one to push it! – but I started to notice, and like, the little things you do. Maybe its the way you say my name, or how you smile when you are feeling shy, or when you take the time to ask me about me, and share details about you.

Then I start to like kissing you – the way your hand moves slowly down my back, and the way your lips feel – and I like holding your hand and going places and seeing the world. It feels different when you are there, and I can’t put my finger on it except that I get butterflies in my stomach. Suddenly you feel familiar to me, like you belong in my life. You fit perfectly like a piece in a jig-saw puzzle, and now I am not scared of the unknown anymore because exploring the unknown is how I met you. I don’t know what to call how I feel, but I know it feels good.

Mixing Business and Friendship…Is it Fateful?

Today I felt the wrath of mixing business and pleasure. I don’t often have a problem with it, but once in a while, it comes to bite me in the ass. And while I sat there ruefully rubbing my sore bottom, I started to think whether or not combining friendship and business can be fatal to the friendship, particularly when the business aspect goes sour.

The scenario was quite simple and rather commonplace  - I was forced to choose between two friends to be my partner for a big project, and due to both a lack of communication between the two partners and myself, as well as a lack of a concrete decision on my part, the decision came in late, and the person I didn’t pick was understandably upset. It took me a long time to make a decision because I had a lot of trouble deciding against her, but in the end, I make a decision on objective criteria that I felt was best for me.

Simply put, it was a business move.

Celebrating an Anniversary (Getting a Gift for your Girlfriend/Wife)

Exactly 14 days from now, my boyfriend and I will be celebrating our six-years anniversary. SIX YEARS! I couldn’t imagine dating for six months let alone six years!! But suddenly, here I am, after a wonderful ride that has been tumultuous, exciting, passionate, and well, sometimes stressful (or worse, dull!) – but has never been regretted. I am excitedly approaching a new milestone of 6 years of dating.

Part of being in a long-term relationship means striving to keep the relationship interesting and fresh. I personally can attest that my relationship has become much better and much more interesting as the years go on, and your increasing comfort level with the other person allows for new experimentation in all aspects of the relationship.

And, in keeping with the spirit of doing something new, I decided to throw out a new idea to celebrate our six years of dating. Rather than the wonderful evening dinner we usually do (although, I must confess, anniversaries have varied from full-day dates to seeing each other at all!), I asked my boyfriend if we could exchange 6 gifts to commemorate six years of dating. Each person cannot spend more than $30 for the six gifts, in total (taxes included); a rule which is in place to encourage some home-made gifts. I must confess – in the beginning, some of this idea came from the selfish need of wanting presents but somehow, it resulted in a bigger and better reflection than I intended (more on that later).

A Woman Thesaurus: Deciphering Women-talk (Part II)*

As we mentioned in our previous post, it seems like men want some guidance on understanding women talk … so lets jump right in!

A Woman Thesaurus: Deciphering Women-talk (Part I)

My good friend Mario and I were in a rousing debate about deciphering ‘woman-talk’ as he calls it: the things women say, and how whether what they say actually corresponds to what they mean. He says women say things they don’t mean, and I say guys just don’t listen hard enough, and thus – like all good relationships – communication becomes the game field.

The debate started when I read him a funny joke I had found on my iPod touch app. I’ve included it for you below.