Carnal knowledge

What every sexually active (or just sexually curious) student should know

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It starts on schoolyard playgrounds and continues throughout our college years — we’re all naturally curious about sex. At this age, however, sex isn’t quite the mystery it was when we gossiped beneath monkey bars in hushed voices.

Still, you might not know all there is to know about sex, whether you’re having it or not, and even if you think you know it all, you could probably use a refresher course. Let The State News be your guide to a safer, healthier and possibly more entertaining sex life when we teach you 10 things you need to know about sex.

1. STIs are the new STDs.

High school sex education isn’t known for being incredibly thorough, and the use of the term sexually transmitted disease, or STD, isn’t incredibly accurate. There’s a negative connotation surrounding the word “disease.” STI, or sexually transmitted infection, is a more accurate and politically correct term to describe what is actually affecting someone. Often times, the infection is curable.

“(Disease) is stigmatizing,” said Erica Phillipich, a health educator at Olin Health Center, adding that disease isn’t exactly the most accurate term either. “If you’re trying to break down barriers to testing and people being responsible for their sexual health, what sounds better: infection or disease? A simple language change can help with that.”

2. Get tested.

If you’re already sexually active, getting tested for STIs, like chlamydia or gonorrhea, isn’t a bad idea no matter how sure you think you are about the sexual pasts of your partners.

Phillipich said Olin offers tests for everything from gonorrhea and chlamydia to HIV/AIDS as long as you’re willing to take a saliva, urine or blood test.

Planned Parenthood, 515 E. Grand River Ave., and Pregnancy Services of Greater Lansing, 1045 E. Grand River Ave., also administer tests for STIs and HIV/AIDS.

3. Stay protected.

In case you haven’t 
heard, it’s National Condom Month. What began at University of California-Berkeley as a weeklong awareness campaign 
centered on Valentine’s Day is now a monthlong celebration of the most popular form of contraception. Most 
health clinics provide free condoms to patients all year, 
so just ask.

4. Be informed and entertained.

After a three-year hiatus, In Your Face Theatre Troupe has been revived to teach students, in a dramatic yet relatable way, about all things related to sexual health.
 Marla Carter, a theater senior and director of the troupe, said it aims to teach students about sex while entertaining them at the same time.


“As a troupe, we try to provide entertaining ways to educate the student body. We don’t assume anybody’s sexually active. And actually there are a lot of people out there who aren’t sexually active, so there’s no assumptions when we perform,” Carter said. “It’s just an entertaining way to educate people about … AIDS, abstinence, dating violence, drinking and things like that.”


The troupe, which is comprised of nine members with majors ranging from communication to philosophy, will be performing at 7:30 p.m. tonight in Wonders Hall Kiva.

5. Party safe.

If you haven’t heard it from your mother, you’ve heard it from someone else: Don’t leave your drink unattended at a party. If MGMT is blasting from the speakers, flexing your dance muscles to their fullest potential might become your top priority and you might set your drink down to avoid spilling it down the front of your shirt. You’ll be back in three minutes, but that’s just enough time for your drink to be drugged.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, or DEA, cautions common date-rape drugs such as GHB or Rohypnol are hard to detect. However, symptoms of being dosed are clear. Feeling drunk without having consumed alcohol is a pretty good sign. Nausea, sleepiness and a loss of reflexes also are easy-to-recognize symptoms.

6. Drunk or stoned? Don’t count on having better sex.


Your inhibitions might be lowered by pounding a few shots, but that’s the only real enhancement to your sexual activities.


In fact, assistant professor of family and child ecology Tina Timm said that using controlled substances will more than likely impede your sexual performance.


“In terms of physiology, it doesn’t boost performance at all. It doesn’t increase desire or do anything that people think it does,” Timm said. “Alcohol for sure acts as a central nervous system depressant, and if men drink enough alcohol, they’re unable to get erections. If you want a one-liner that’s as simple as it can get: alcohol is not good for erections.”

7. Was it “good” for you?*

There’s little physical difference between the male and female orgasm.

Timm said when people are asked to write a description of the sensation they feel during orgasm, it’s hard to tell if a description is written by a male or female if specific body parts aren’t mentioned.

8. It’s OK to wait.


College life isn’t all about sex. In fact, many students choose to abstain from sex altogether.


Physiology junior Terry Barrett, who doesn’t consider her group of friends to be promiscuous, said some have even chosen to remain abstinent.

“I know a few people, but personally it doesn’t make any difference to me,” Barrett said. “I would say three or four of my friends are waiting, but who knows if that will change if they meet that person?”


Barrett’s friends aren’t the only ones choosing not to have sex, Phillipich said.


“We know a quarter of students aren’t having sex, self-reported. Either they’ve never had sex or they haven’t in the last school year. So, knowing that a quarter are doing something else or they’re not having what they deem as sex is kind of a big deal,” Phillipich said.

“People aren’t sleeping around. Seventy-five percent of students who are having sex are having … one partner. Most people are like, ‘No, that’s not true,’ and it is. I think that’s probably one of the big misconceptions that college students all have STIs, and they’re all sleeping around.”

9. It’s OK to commit.


Although the stereotype, as Phillipich stated, is that many students have multiple sexual partners, this isn’t the case nor is it the best option for your health.

“Ideally in a long-term, committed relationship, you don’t have to worry about sexually transmitted infections or HIV but … I qualify that with a huge ‘if’ people are being monogamous,” Timm said.


In addition to the added health benefits of monogamy, Timm said staying with one partner long-term increases the comfort level partners have with one another, allowing them to set aside insecurities and enjoy sex more.

10. Learn to have sex with the lights on.

“The links between having a good sex life and having a good body image are huge,” Timm said.


If you want to fully enjoy sex, Timm said it helps to be comfortable with your body.


“There’s a sex therapist who has this motto that … cellulite is highly correlated with sexual satisfaction. Meaning, the older you get and the more cellulite you get, the better sex you’re going to have,” Timm said. “Part of the reason that is is because people let the more insignificant stuff fall away, like worrying about their body being perfect.”

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