It’s officially back-to-school season in the District, kiddos!
Seas of new faces have arrived in our fair city to study at one of our many esteemed collegiate institutions, bringing with them boxes of clothes, their hopes and dreams, and, of course, their supercharged hormones.
It doesn’t matter where your alumni allegiance may lie *cough, #RaiseHigh GW, cough* this is a time for excitement and learning in ways that only DC’s colleges and universities know how. In keeping with that educational spirit, Sexual + Being wanted to join in on the fun and teach students a thing or two about what we know best: safer sex practices, tips, and resources.
Here’s what every college student should know about safer sex this fall.
Brace for (literal?) impact
I could insert almost endless puns related to this section, but we mean business here, so I’ll refrain. Let’s start by stating the obvious: college can be wild, especially when it comes to understanding our bodies and the ins and outs of having a sex life.
You will undergo an almost endless amount of new experiences in your four-plus years roaming your college’s halls and many of them are tied to sex. Brace yourself here, folks, because it can be a journey. What’s most important is to remember you are in control of your body. Trust your gut when it comes to having intimate sexual encounters and do not feel the need to do anything you are not ready to do — and with whomever shows you interest at the risk of your own feelings.
You know we’re sex-positive here (it’s basically in our name) so boink away as long as you and your partners are into it.
Consent above all
We’ll keep this section short n’ sweet (thank you, Sabrina Carpenter) because it should be the easiest to understand. Mutual consent is the most important sex practice, particularly when talking about safety when we’re “doing the deed.”
All parties participating in whatever sexual fun you are trying to get into must give their approval and agreement before anything starts. No is “no” the first time it is uttered or when someone pulls away from an interaction or attempt. Then you immediately stop, full stop.
It is not rocket science here. Just be courteous of your partner(s) and ask before making a move. More likely than not, your partner(s) will feel respected and connected to you in ways that will make the entire hook-up more explosive.
Get into a testing routine
Ok, now that we have our minds in alignment, it’s time to talk about our physical health as it relates to sex. That buck starts with getting tested for STIs and how often you do it.
If you are sexually active, it is crucial that you get into a regular testing routine to ensure you maintain your health as you’re getting down and dirty. A partner can swear up and down that they are “clean” (while we’re here, please remove this phrase from your lexicon; it’s rude and inaccurate, thanks! ) but only test results can guarantee that.
Your testing cadence is up to you and your medical professional. For those often participating in sexual activity, you should consider more consistent testing (i.e., every few months or so) and always when receiving news of an exposure. Testing is a key to STI prevention!
Don’t forget the rubbers and pills
But testing is not the only key to maintaining sexual health here. Condoms, dental dams, STI medications, and birth control are also invaluable tools in maintaining your sexual health.
For those having sexual relations with someone with a penis (their own or others), condom usage during sex (vaginal, anal, oral) can greatly decrease the risk of STI exposure or unwanted pregnancy. And, no, they are not “too big” to fit in one so don’t let them try to weasel their way around it if it makes you feel more comfortable.
For those having sex with vagina-having individuals, dental dams function similarly to condoms but in sheet form. Consider using these to prevent skin-to-skin and/or skin-to-oral contact that may spread STIs further.
Three tried-and-true medicines you should also consider can drastically increase your bodily safety: PrEP, PEP, and birth control pills.
- The first two are used to stop the contraction of HIV either before (PrEP, which stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis) or after (PEP, which stands for post-exposure prophylaxis) exposure, revolutionizing how the virus spreads. This is particularly recommended for LGBTQ+ folks, as they are among the most impacted groups as it relates to HIV.
- Birth control pills (or implants) are prescribed to those individuals with vaginas who are seeking to prevent pregnancy. A baby, of course, is not an STI but it can impact your sexual health as well as your mental health, financial situation, and more.
These are the infinity stones of sexual health, friends. Why not collect (read: try) the ones that work for you?
Leave shame at the door
Now that you get the landscape, let’s close with time-tested sexy-time advice. At the end of the day, your sex life is yours and it’s important to understand yourself through this lens.
If you do not want to have sex, do not have it! If you want to have tons of it, go (safely!) *uckwild! Put in the work to find your sexual self by experimenting with what you like, listening to what your mind and body tell you, and putting in the work to erase thoughts of bodily shame.
Happy humping, students! For more resources related to sexual health, check out sexualbeing.org.
