As a young, free and single college student it is your prerogative to enjoy yourself as much as you can; for many students, this means dating and hooking up if the chemistry is right. Whether you’re hoping to finally find the love of your life during your college years or are just here for a good time, safe sex is essential! There’s nothing worse than ruining your academic year with a nasty STD. Luckily, it’s easier than ever to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and infections. We’ve shared some of our top sexual health tips for students.
Tip #1. Always Use a Condom
Condoms are very accessible – yes, they may be expensive to buy at the drugstore, but even on a student budget, there are many ways for you to get hold of them. Many colleges will have on-campus health centers; here you’ll be able to get advice about staying sexually healthy, and many will also provide condoms for a much cheaper fee than the retail price or even free of charge. You can also get condoms from your local Planned Parenthood center. It’s always good to carry a few in your purse or wallet, just in case – you never know when you’re going to need one and you can’t always count on the other person to have one available.
Tip #2. Be Clear About Birth Control
Getting pregnant or getting somebody else pregnant in college can bring up all sorts of complications, whether you are pro-life or pro-choice. The fact of the matter is, unless you’re a mature student working from home on an MSW online and can fit a child around your education with Rutgers Online, you’ll probably agree that your college years are simply not the time to be even considering having a baby. There are many different types of birth control available for women, from pills to implants or coils. Speak with your doctor if you are unsure about the right option for you. However, be careful! Bear in mind that birth control will only prevent pregnancy, and doesn’t offer any protection against sexually transmitted diseases. So, even if you’re on the pill or have the coil, it’s important to use a condom too.
Tip #3. Get Tested Regularly
Even if you don’t think that you’ve got an STI, it’s important to go for regular check-ups as the symptoms of some STD’s, such as chlamydia, don’t always show up since the condition can lie dormant, doing damage without your knowledge. Even if you haven’t changed partners when studying for your online MSW, it’s important to still have a test – perhaps your partner has a dormant STI from a previous partner, or (although we’d hope not) has slept with somebody else behind your back. If you begin seeing a new long-term partner during college, make sure that the two of you are tested for STI’s and given the all-clear before you even consider having unprotected sex. Even then, using a condom is still the best option.
Having sex is all part of a fun college experience! But, it’s super important to make sure that you stay safe.