20 People Share The Things That Surprised Them Most After Their First Time Having Sex

Typically, people approach losing their virginity with loads of uncertainty and expectation. Will it hurt? How long will it last? Will this change my life? Will I embarrass myself? What if I do something wrong? Even after planning for or thinking about your first time, sometimes folks are shocked by what actually happens.

On Reddit, folks confessed what surprised them the most about sex after they lost their virginity—and the answers range from emotional growth to weird noises. 

1. 

“That my core isn’t as strong as I thought it was.” — Fearthedoodoo

2. 

“I thought I’d feel him cum inside me but I didn’t. Really tried focusing every time to see if I’d feel anything at all, but no.” — MasterOfOne

3.

“All the weird noises.” — WeAreTheVoid141

4.

“How my life was exactly the same.” — GlassFantast

5.

“I was surprised that although sex felt better, masturbation gets the climax much faster.” — BolinTime

6. 

“How hard it was to keep your erection when you have to run upstairs and find a condom and then try to put it on really fast.” — yeahwellokay

7. 

“How difficult it was to climax in the presence of another person. I’d had almost a decade of practice only doing it when alone. Postscript: I got better, and I’m grateful to everyone who helped.” — Genshed

8. 

“Given all the joking about premature ejaculation, I was surprised with how long I lasted.” — the_marked

9.

“Queefs. She wasn’t a virgin. I was. I thought she was farting. I found that out when it happened again a week later and she said, ‘You do know I’m not farting, right?’ I pretended I did and googled it afterwards.” — NickInTheMud

10.

“Needing my asthma inhaler.” — irving47

Patricia Grisafi

Patricia Grisafi, PhD, is a freelance writer and educator. Her work has appeared in Salon, Vice, Bitch, Bustle, Broadly, The Establishment, and elsewhere. She is passionate about pit bull rescue, cursed objects, and designer sunglasses.