College has the reputation of being a place not just to receive an advanced education, but also a carnal education. According to a recent Sexual Satisfaction Survey conducted by Lifestyle Condoms, college students are hitting the sheets as much as they are hitting the books.
Although your sex life is personal and private, I believe that every student should be familiar with the many myths and truths about sex. In fact, a new RSO on campus focuses on the educational aspect of health of students, including sexual health.
Revolutionized Health and Wellness Coalition (RHAW) strives to empower students through mental, physical and spiritual health.
College students seem to think they know everything there is to know about sexual health and that they are immune to the negative outcomes of sex. However, different myths continue to float around campus, and some may still question their truths.
Some of the most common myths are, “it is impossible to get pregnant on your period,” “the morning-after pill aborts an existing pregnancy,” and “if you have only slept with virgins, you cannot have an STD.”
While these may seem obviously false to you, some students our age are unfortunately uninformed and may believe these statements. According to Dr. Jennifer Robinson, an OB/GYN and assistant professor at Johns Hopkins Medicine, every body is different, but that just means everyone needs to be extra careful.
If your period overlaps with the beginning of ovulation, you are probably fertile; if you are already pregnant when you take Plan B, the pill will have no effect; both oral and anal sex can put you at risk for sexually transmitted diseases — and these are just a few facts to contradict those myths. There is much more to learn, and being knowledgable about what is going on in your and your partner’s bodies is important to prevent new sexual myths from surfacing.
These myths are a great example of why students should take the opportunity to learn more about sex, in spite of what they think they know already. I believe the more you know about sex, the better you can protect yourself from unplanned pregnancies and STD’s.
Because college is a common place for sexual experimentation, Illinois State University offers several resources to ensure students are informed and comfortable.
RHAW is hosting a R.H.A.W. Sex interactive panel in Prarie North at 7:30 p.m. Thursday for students to ask questions they may have related to sex.
The G Spot, hosted by ISU’s Health Promotion and Wellness department, is a portable wellness gazebo that travels to different parts of campus throughout the week. At its booth, condoms, as well as informational pamphlets, are given to students for free. Other resources are also available in the Health Promotion and Wellness office in McCormick 187.
Also new this fall, Student Health Services has begun providing Sexually Transmitted Infection testing to students for $11. They also offer regular gynecological exams to females and educational information regarding various health concerns.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your sexual health, it is important to address them sooner rather than later. While sex can be fun, it is not something to play around with.
Kamara Turner is a sophomore mass media major and a columnist for The Vidette. Any questions or comments regarding his column can be sent to katurne3@ilstu.edu. Follow her on Twitter at @kvmara.
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