PMS'ing is no excuse to be mean

"I know girls get weird at 'that time of the month,' but I don't get why they have to act like I'm their worst enemy."

"Sometimes, my sister acts like she wishes I were dead because I won't give her the remote control, but all that's going on is she's PMSing. Screaming at me and freaking out on me isn't right."

I know what you're thinking: Boys just don't understand what it feels like to wake up with serious cramps and have to get up from that warm bed at 6 a.m. to put on tight jeans over a bloated belly so you can go do fractionals in homeroom. So, yeah, we feel your pain--and we really mean feel it. But that's the point: Boys don't.

So, you're pained? Look, face it--the hormones that go with menstruating affect moods and, yeah, sometimes make a girl mean as a hungry dog. But barking at a boy because you don't feel well? Just deal the best you can by taking care of yourself. This includes not totally indulging in caffeine, sugar or greasy foods--all three aggravate physical and emotional symptoms. Get plenty of sleep, drink loads of water, and take lots of warm baths--yes, even in the afternoon when you get home from school. Soaking in bubbles while daydreaming is an on-your-period girl's best friend.

We're not saying you should become a menstrual recluse just because you're wearing a maxi-pad. But sometimes maybe it is better to bow out of a social opp if you're really not up to it. What's the point of going to the party if you're not gonna have a good time? Oh, and if you do snap at your boy for no other reason than those nasty hormonal intrusions, a short, simple apology ("Sorry--I was in a bad state of mind yesterday") could go a long way. No lengthy, drawn-out explanations necessary. He'll never fully understand, so don't even try.