Meandering Menstrual Hoarder: Where the Best Pads and Tampons are on Campus

By Lila Sverdrup | Photo by Sadie Shelkey

If your high school had free period supplies in the women's bathrooms, then fuck you. Imagine growing up in a progressive area that supports reproductive justice, lol, could not be me (a not-s0-proud Missourian). Anyway, I was in awe of getting free period products in the bathrooms when coming to BU. Every time I walk into the bathroom, I see those dispensers and I’m immediately drawn in like a fly to a lightbulb. To get it to dispense, I wave hi to menstrual activism and wave bye-bye to all my baby-could-have been’s. I, however, am a cheap girly. I ain’t payin’ for no menstrual products from the inflated aisle of Commonwealth CVS. Instead, I started stocking up on these freebies. I am, quite frankly, a meandering menstrual hoarder.

Throughout my endeavors, I have noticed many disparities between the quality and quantity of the menstrual products in the bathrooms and have documented them here. 

Quality:
Tampons

Ok, we get it. Cardboard ass applicators: sustainable and, well the main reason they choose this style, cheap. At least they are free! And only good if you have a regular flow or you’re changing it every hour. 

Pads

Well, I mean… they’re as puffy-as-can-be, so best be wearing non-form-fitting pants. Or do what I do, wear Nike Pros. Trust me, they are a lifesaver for the toss-up of non-winged vs winged, and very narrow pads. 

Quantity:

Warren Towers 4th Floor Lobby Bathroom

Let's be honest. When is it ever filled? I literally just want a pad and every time it doesn’t dispense I’m tempted to beat that bitch. 

Mugar Library 3rd Floor Bathroom

They gave up and just stopped putting them in the dispenser. Big boxes of pads lie open on the table. Jackpot. 

CDS (on floors that are accessed through the non-possessed elevator) 

A fucking toss-up. Like sometimes stocked, sometimes not. What even is this tiny basket you put by the sink? At least the pads usually have wings. 

Sargent, upper floors

All my Sargent girlies (hopefully) know that the first-floor bathroom doesn’t decide our fate. No, Sargent ain’t gonna make you pay a quarter, just go up a floor and see that there are free menstrual items! I guess Sargent just has that many non-BU visitors on the first floor… 

CAS, CGS, and Others

Nothing odd, sometimes out, sometimes stocked. Oh, well. Only search for products in these bathrooms when desperate. 

West Campus

I don’t know and I don’t care. 

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Note From The Author

I hope I have reached the hearts of other meandering menstrual hoarders out there. Also, I hope this article isn’t lost on all of you guys. Anyway, live, laugh, and menstruate free! (and please don’t love unprotected, we want you to keep menstruating) <3