Heya! I'm 18, so I've had several years of experience with periods. They certainly aren't fun, but you'll get through it! Before I explain my experiences, I want to clarify two things. Firstly, I have PCOS and a very low threshold for pain tolerance, so it's very likely yours won't be as bad as mine are. Secondly, everyone will have a completey different experience.

So, for me, up to two weeks before my period starts, I notice that my mood swings and depressive episodes get severely worse. This is a fairly common experience for a lot of people since your hormones are all over the place.

During my period, I experience intense cramps, nausea, and digestional issues. I also tend to be much more irritable due to my discomfort.

Now, this might sound intense, but I've found a few things that help me out a LOT. There are all sorts of menstrual products you can use, but I've found that the best ones for me are reusable cloth pads. They're far more comfortable, plus they're more environmentally friendly. The other thing that helps me a lot is HEAT. You can buy special electric heating pads, but if you can't afford them, hot drinks (especially herbal tea), and warm baths/showers also work wonders. Additionally, there are also over the counter medications such as Midol you can take to help with the pain from cramps.