Women Share Things They Do That Men Don’t Really Think About

While there are many things that men and women have in common, there are also many differences in the way we live our daily lives, what concerns we have, and our habits.

On Reddit, these women shared things that they do or think about on a regular basis that most men don't ever have to consider.

Washing Your Hair Is A Big Deal!

Planning out which days to wash my hair so it aligns with my social schedule.
Story Credit: Reddit / oshlin
Story Credit: Reddit / oshlin

We'll literally consider what events we want clean hair for, what sweaty workouts might demand a full shampooing afterwards, and try to calculate the maximum number of days we can go without washing our hair.

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It's A Make-Or-Break Issue

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Factoring in my period when planning events, e.g. wedding day, camping trips, kayaking adventures, etc.
Story Credit: Reddit / marrbl
Story Credit: Reddit / marrbl
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While many times, getting your period on a trip can merely be a nuisance, there are other times where it can make or break your plans. It's not easy to go camping during that time of the month.

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Motherhood Vs. Career

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How much I need to consider family planning and how it will impact my career in the long run.
Story Credit: Reddit / Fluffernator8486
Story Credit: Reddit / Fluffernator8486
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It's a sad but all too common barrier for women who want to have children but also excel in their careers. Having children often means losing opportunities for career advancement while pregnant or a new mother—in ways most men aren't often hindered.

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My Resting Public Face Has Been Perfected Over The Years

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How to seem aloof enough to not attract unwanted attention, but not looking too angry in case it attracts negative attention.
Story Credit: Reddit / IrritatedAlpaca
Story Credit: Reddit / IrritatedAlpaca
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My resting "unapproachable" face has been the result of years of trying to avoid interactions on the street—whether negative or sexual. It's a skill that seems so natural that it didn't even occur to me that men might not consciously do it.

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Safety First!

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Is it safe for me to go to (specific place) alone?
Story Credit: Reddit
Story Credit: Reddit
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As a woman, this is, unfortunately, something we consider often. Is it safe to go running on this trail alone? Can I really go traveling on a solo backpacking trip? Most times, the answer is no.

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We're All Like Mary Poppins

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Preparing items in my purse. Spare phone charger? FitBit charger? Ibuprofen? Sewing kit? Tampons? Pens? Sticky notes? Battery pack? Checkbook? Stamps? Chapstick?
Story Credit: Reddit / IAmBaconsaur
Story Credit: Reddit / IAmBaconsaur
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The worst part is that, after spending so much time adding the perfect combination of items, you have to transfer them to another purse when you decide you want to change your outfit.

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It's Irrational, We Know

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Worrying about being pregnant even if you didn't have sex that month.
Story Credit: Reddit / BenWyatt101
Story Credit: Reddit / BenWyatt101
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I've tried to explain this to men before and they've always acted like I was insane, but I swear, every woman has had a pregnancy scare even though they've had no means of actually getting pregnant.

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We're All In This Together!

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Having each other's backs, even if we don’t know each another. All women know the
Story Credit: Reddit / TacoTuesday4All
Story Credit: Reddit / TacoTuesday4All
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I've given male friends who I've known for years the "help me" eyes and they've been totally clueless, but a random woman I've never met is always able to get the message and come to my aid.

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It's So Exhausting Being Excessively Polite

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Being nice to someone you're not interested in, even if they creep you out or are being rude.
Story Credit: Reddit / flawlessqueen
Story Credit: Reddit / flawlessqueen
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Every woman will understand that this isn't talking about basic human decency, where you try not to rudely reject someone. There are times we're being degraded or feel uneasy and we are still polite and nice.

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This Is So Hard!

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Checking what the back of our head looks like when styling our hair
Story Credit: Reddit / glitter4020
Story Credit: Reddit / glitter4020
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Of course, this isn't true for all men, but most men's hairstyles are focused on fixing the front segment on a regular basis, whereas most women have a full head of hair to worry about.

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You Know, Just In Case

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I make sure to never leave a drink unattended on a night out, even if it's a really uncrowded or laid-back seeming bar.
Story Credit: Reddit / not_a_skunk
Story Credit: Reddit / not_a_skunk
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From the time we're 10 or 11 years old, most of us are told how important it is to never leave a drink unattended so that someone doesn't put something in it. From that young.

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Can I Just Wear Pants For This?

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debating the necessity of shaving my legs for specific events
Story Credit: Reddit / JezieNeeChan
Story Credit: Reddit / JezieNeeChan
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When I was younger, I used to shave my legs almost every day so that I could wear shorts in gym class without fear. Now, I try to put off shaving my legs until it's an absolute necessity.

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"...I Don't Know If That Makes Sense, Though"

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Delicate expression of concerns/ideas in the workplace to fit the office
Story Credit: Reddit / donotpanic420
Story Credit: Reddit / donotpanic420
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I feel like a lot of working women understand how hard it can feel to strike a balance, especially in a male-dominated office, where you seem confident, capable, and able to demand results without being called the B-word.

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Text The Homies Goodnight!

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The whole
Story Credit: Reddit / ingloriousbox
Story Credit: Reddit / ingloriousbox
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All the women I know do this to ensure all the other people they were out with get home safely, and they will genuinely call your neighbors or the police if you don't confirm you're safe.

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You Never Know

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Actively worry about cameras planted in our public bathrooms and hotel rooms
Story Credit: Reddit / Confetticandi
Story Credit: Reddit / Confetticandi
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My parents love to send me news stories and studies about the number of times small cameras have been used to record women in hotel rooms or other places and have put fear in my heart for the rest of my life.

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The DMs Are A Minefield

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Feeling a little bit of dread when you have a DM from a stranger, because you know opening it is basically disappointing d*** pic roulette.
Story Credit: Reddit / Irritated Alpaca
Story Credit: Reddit / Irritated Alpaca
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I genuinely love using social media, but the DM requests are definitely my least favorite part of social media platforms. Sometimes they're wholesome, sometimes they're women asking you to join their pyramid scheme, and other times it's just some guy sending unsolicited nudes.

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It Doesn't Always Happen, But Sometimes It Does

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Thinking about how a person you're rejecting might react violently.
Story Credit: Reddit
Story Credit: Reddit
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I once told a man I didn't want him to talk to me anymore, and when he wouldn't stop harassing me, I blocked him on every platform I could think of and he still aggressively screamed at me the next time he saw me in public. That doesn't even scratch the surface.

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We Do A Lot Of Maintenance

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The extent to which many of us deal with body hair, rough skin, hair styling, skincare, makeup, nails, etc. I don't think many men actually think about the time and effort we put into looking smooth, soft and pretty.
Story Credit: Reddit / IStoleTheSweetrolls
Story Credit: Reddit / IStoleTheSweetrolls
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I swear, men have no idea how much time and money goes into products, waxing services, nail salons, hair appointments, and all other tweezing, tugging, and shaving that goes into our regular look.

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Here's A Vase!

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For the most part, thank-you and host/hostess gifts.
Story Credit: Reddit / coffeeblossom
Story Credit: Reddit / coffeeblossom
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I don't know if it's just a custom that my mom instilled into me from youth, but I actually feel really weird and guilty when I show up to someone's home empty-handed.

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I Mean, Do They Consider It?

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Changing the hand towel in the bathroom.
Story Credit: Reddit / freshpicked12
Story Credit: Reddit / freshpicked12
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In all my years of life, sometimes living with male roommates or living with a boyfriend, I have never seen a man change the hand towel. One time, I waited to see how long it would take for a guy to notice, but he just never did.