If you’ve just started your first term at university, I’d like to wish you the best and hope you enjoy health and happiness – these can be some of the best years of your life chaps.
I’ll make no bones about it, one of the best things about Uni, is sex. If you’re new to campus life, I’ve got a few tips when it comes to protection and staying healthy in the bedroom – or wherever else you might be enjoying yourself….!
Don’t leave anything to chance
At some time or another, we all get caught up in the heat of the moment and it can be ever so tempting to just let passion unfold. But chaps, taking the time (and it’s a mere matter of seconds) to slip on a condom is a far less of a sacrifice than contracting an STI.
It’s easy to apply the ‘it’ll be OK just this once’ mentality, though unfortunately the ‘once’ could be the time you get unlucky. The moral of the story – if you’ve just met them and you’re yet to build a trusting rapport, always wear a condom!
Talking about sex is sometimes the best form of foreplay
The media do a tip-top job at making out as if sex at university is synonymous with one-night-stands after a chance meeting in a club, and nothing more. The truth is that 20% of people actually meet their long-term partner whilst at university. Don’t be afraid to talk to someone you’re dating about sex and build up a rapport around this.
Once you know both of you are STI-free, you can enjoy sex using a form of contraception that suits you both.
There is nothing ‘cool’ about not using protection at Uni
The simple fact is that if someone pressures you into sex without protection, they don’t deserve you. No-one should make you feel intimidated or ‘uncool’ for not wanting to use protection and if being ‘uncool’ means looking out for your sexual health, then I’m all for being in the ‘uncool’ category!
As I mentioned before, once you know the person has been tested and is clean of STIs, condoms can come out of the equation, but don’t take the chance before you know for sure chaps!
Make sure you’re registered with a GP local to you during your time at Uni and don’t be afraid to approach them for sexual health help and advice – it’s what they’re there for!