Cant use tampons? FEMALES ONLY PLEASE.?

so im fifteen and ive tried using tampons but i can never get it in. all of my friends use tampons, and im embaressed to be the only one who uses pads. i hate pads, theyre very inconvenient and uncomftorable and they limit you to lots of activites. im starting swim PE tomorrow and i have a cl of 15 guys and 7 girls. all of the girls wear tampons, and when i get my period, im gonna be walking around the pool by myself and its gonna be rele obvious that im on my period. has anybody else ever had a problem inserting a tampon? and if you did, but you finally learned how, can somebody give me some advice? i feel like such a loser. haha okk thanks (: