Sex ??

Sex on a College Campus

Lets talk about sex.. This is something everyone is talking about but is this something everyone is doing ??

I surveyed 40 studnets in the cafeteria on March 31st what comes to mind when you think about sex on campus. 83% said that everyone is partaking in this activity. I then asked these students how do they know and the majority said its the "college lifestyle." I then thought about the stereotypical college experience you see on television and in movies. Students change their physical appearance and even personality to fit in with the status quo. They even participate in risky behavior including taking drugs and consuming alcohol, which leads to sex. The movie "The To Do List" is a movie set in 1993 where a high school graduate tries to get rid of her good girl image by losing her virginity so she can fit in before going to college in September. This is one movie about the stereotypes these students are aware and believe to be true. 

I asked students how do they meet people to hookup with. A freshman student said within the first week of school you know how to get to your classes, where all the parties are, who the cutest guys are on the football team and how to hookup with a complete stranger because of the app "Yik Yak."
A freshman female stated she believes this is a scary way to meet someone because the app is completely anymous and you never know what your "signing up for". After someone comments under a persons sex request shortly after someone posts their "Kik" name which is a texting app. This is usually a short conversation and leads to the two hanging out and participating in drinking alcohol. On the Pace University website it states  "Inappropriate use and abuse of alcohol is often associated with lower academic performance and failures, sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancies, vandalism, aggressive behaviors including sexual assault and rape, injuries, death, and prosecution for crimes related to the consumption of alcohol" You never want to get drunk with a stranger, one reason is because you never know their intentions. STDs are a major thing especially on college campuses.

STI's/ STD's 

I know you are probably wondering what are STIs/STDs and how can I prevent myself from coming in contact with one. According to American Sexual Health Association sexually transmitted infections/ diseases, or STI/STD affect people of all ages and backgrounds. In the U.S. there are approximately 20 million new cases each year, about half of which occur among youth ages 15-24 years. This is between the years an individual is enrolled in college. Diseases that are spread through sexual contact are usually referred to as sexually transmitted diseases or STDs for short. However in recent years experts in  public health have suggested replacing STD with a new term—sexually transmitted infection, or STI. Sexually transmitted viruses or bacteria can be described as creating an “infection,” which may or may not result in “disease.” This is true for a few STIs including chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, and human papilloma virus (HPV) they are all curable, Not all STI's are curable therefore you should ALWAYS use a condom. 

Importance of Condoms

 A freshman female said she was afraid to live on campus because of shows and news articled that come out everyday about STDs on the rise. The safest way to protect yourself is not to participate in this behavior. But as young adults with ranging hormones it might be hard to resist.  Therefore if you do partake in this activity you should use a condom. 
As one male student bought a pack of Trojan condoms I asked him why he bought them. He instantly laughed and said "I have to protect my ting, you can't trust these h*es."I laughed and thought this is a great mentality to have. According to Huffington Post, the condom maker Trojan ranks 140 colleges and universities to see what schools promote safe sex. (Svokos) Pace University was not listed in the 10 step but recently they have made efforts to promote safe sex for the LGBT community. There was a safe sex event where condoms were distributed and vibrators were raffled off. This was one initiative for the university to educate their students about protection as well as sex awareness. Another way Pace promotes sex awareness is by taking trips to the Museum of Sex in NYC for a small fee of $5. The mission of the Museum of Sex is to preserve and present the history, evolution and cultural significance of human sexuality. With each exhibition, the museum addresses a wide range of topics, while simultaneously highlighting material and artifacts from different cultures, time periods and media.




A sophomore female stated she hooked up with a random guy on campus and had an STI scare. Thankfully she only had a UTI but she said at the time she was scared and didn't know what to do. Her roommate informed her that she should go to the health center on campus. The Health Center on campus is a service that is included in your bill so when you visit there is no charge. This is an amenity that is great not just because of her situation but those days that you are not feeling well and need to be prescribed a medication. 

Sex Awareness

One male student said he does not use condoms because he finds it less pleasurable. When asked if he knows the risks of having unprotected sex he stated "That could not be me." This is a statement that everyone seems to think. But why do people feel they are exempt and have fewer risks? This is actually unknown why some people think they have less chances of  transmitted a disease sexually. But I think one reason is because if you have sex with someone you love you respect or trust to will care less to wrap it up. You have to go into every situation not having a bias on people and think of everyone as dirty. This is similarly to what nursing students are told in clinicals, "every body fluid that you come in contact with you should be prepared and care for it with precaution." Condom availability in places of need around the world is increasing significantly, with 25.8 million female condoms provided through international and nongovernmental funding sources in 2009. Condom distribution increased by 10 million between 2008 and 2009. On campus students are allowed to purchase condoms in Miller Mart (an eating option in the building there are classes) with your meal plan. There are always condoms available an`d people seem to actually buy them for their own use.

Works Cited 
Dobbs, Kori Sex Survey, March 31st 2016
Female, personal interview, 31 March 2016
Male, personal interview, 31 March 2016
http://www.ashasexualhealth.org/stdsstis/ 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/20/sexual-health-report-card-2014_n_5985520.html
https://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/newsroom/press-releases/ten-little-known-facts-about-condoms-planned-parenthood
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKGigK17eSs