I don't know if you were looking for a serious answer, but I'll give you one. Periods usually don't involve just bleeding. There are headaches, mood swings, stomach cramps, weakness, etc. Not everyone follows the same cycle of 5-7 days once a month. There are some cases where it can last up to two whole weeks, but that's on the bad end. Cycles can also change depending on health and other shit, and while pads can be expensive, friends have complained to me about how much of a dent they put in their wallets, it usually depends on the brands you buy.