Some hit up the pages of Cosmo or turn on Dr. Sue, but all the mysteries and specificities of sex can't be answered by such far away and impersonal sources.
The SBI Health Education Center can handle any question or concern, big or small, in the sex department.
The center also offers workshops such as STI (sexually transmitted infections) jeopardy, AIDS 101 and eroticizing safer sex, to educate and involve students in topics that may seem a little taboo, according to Jane Fischer, director of SBI Health Education Center.
Though sex may be a frequent topic of friendly discussion, confronting the subject head on with a counselor does not always put students at ease.
"The only reason I can see that would hold students back from going to the center would be awkwardness," said Alex Melville, senior political science major. "Everyone just needs to have their own way of getting over their personal embarrassment."
Some female students come to college and have never been to a gynecologist. According to Fischer, most doctors do not have the time to sit down with every patient and answer every question, which leads to many women who are less informed than they would like to be.
"I think it's harder for women because some still believe that we have to be ladylike, proper, and quiet about things such as sex," said Mikell Monroe, a junior health and human sciences major. "Plus sometimes even parents don't feel comfortable answering certain questions we have."
When a student goes to a gynecologist at Michael Hall for the first time, the center has a women's health session before the appointment, Fischer said. That way, students don't miss out on learning the correct information about menstrual cycles, birth control and the gynecological exam itself.
The center offers STI panel testing for $10, aware that many insurance companies do not cover STI testing at all.
The STI panel also tests for HIV but the results take one to two weeks. This lengthy wait can cause unnecessary stress upon anxious students.
The fix to this uneasiness is the rapid HIV test, which only takes 20 minutes. All students need to do is call ahead to make an appointment so the lab can be ready, according to Fischer.
Although the center does not sell birth control pills, Plan B is distributed at a lower cost than outside pharmacies. Fischer recommends that both males and females keep Plan B in their medicine cabinets, just in case.
According to Fischer, students may not be prepared to face certain results so the center offers counseling after tests.
"It is completely nonjudgmental, we focus on ways to have safer sex," Fischer said. "We talk to students about what brought them there in the first place and what can we do to help avoid feeling at risk of an STI next time."
The center understands that students may be hesitant to enter because they fear seeing someone they know. Fischer assures that the center's staff abides by strict confidentiality rules, which, if broken, could compromise their careers.
Students can call the center and ask anonymous questions, make an appointment for a private counseling session or go as a couple, Fischer said.
The most frequent topics asked by students are STI symptoms, birth control options, HPV, and sexual assault issues.
"We aren't doctors and nurses, but we are counselors and educators. We are here to give advice and answer questions," Fischer said.
Some questions that are brought to the center's attention come from myths that get stirred up among peers.
One of the most memorable rumors heard by Fischer pertains to Mountain Dew. One student asked if it was true that Mountain Dew caused sterility.
"Some students are sure that they know what's going on and they are way off and that's fine because its helps us know where we need to improve on education," Fischer said.
According to Fischer it is important for students to know that the center has something for everyone, whether it's an abstinent student, a student who is a parent, or a sexually active couple.
If students already feel well versed in the knowledge of the birds and the bees, then getting involved with the center is the next action to take.
"Students can get involved by joining S.T.E.P.S. (Students Teaching Equals Positive Sexuality), which allows them to lead the workshops," Fischer said.
Students who are interested in joining can attend one of the informational open houses held on Thursday at the Health Education Center from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., or on Nov. 18 in the Student Union from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
"We are looking for people who are comfortable talking about sex and also those who are responsible because we want to make sure that the right message is going out and students aren't getting wrong information," Fischer said.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
