Ohio University students should get tested for sexually transmitted diseases often and be open with their partners.
TI: Nobody likes the thought of themselves or their significant other having an STD. It's scary and inconvenient and unsettling.
However, these things are an all too common part of the college experience. We've all heard of that "friend-of-a-friend" that caught something, or other times it can be someone you know quite well. If these suspicions begin to crop up regarding yourself or someone you've been doing the dirty with, it's seriously important to get things checked out.
Say you've just started "seeing" someone new and you want to know that they are clean, you don't have to make the conversation awkward. You can bring it up casually, and in most cases your partner probably won't have a problem with also being sure that you are cootie-less.
If everyone gets tested and receives a clean bill of health, then there are no more worries and everyone involved can breathe a sigh of relief! It can also become quite a point of stress in your life if you have fears of a possible disease.
It will be well worth the peace of mind for you to go in and get tested. STD screenings are super common, so there is no need to have jitters about it. All in all, if you have serious fears that you've got something going on "downstairs,” you really must do everyone (mainly yourself) a favor and take that solemn, yet necessary, walk to Hudson and pee in that fateful cup.
Tanner Ingle is a junior studying studio art and environmental and plant biology. What do you think about STD testing? Email him at ti905612@ohio.edu.
AP: Talking about STDs is a really hard thing to do. You don't want to come off as being offensive when inquiring to your partner about the last time she/he got tested, but it's also a really important conversation to have, especially if you've noticed things about your partner's fun parts that seem a little ... well, not fun.
I think the best way to approach the situation is to make it seem as casual as possible. Maybe warm your partner up with some nice pumpkin tea and sit 'em down for a chat.
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Personally, because I'm awkward in all situations, especially situations that are supposed to be serious, I would start off saying something like, "Hey, so this is kinda weird, but I just want to know when the last time you got checked was because I'm getting checked this week and it just made me curious."
In saying that, it's also very important to get checked as often as possible. I'd say once every six months depending on your sexual activity. Whether you're down to share the feels with just one partner or you prefer to venture the sea a little more, it's incredibly imperative to know for sure what's goin' on down there.
There's no better feeling than knowing that your fun parts can keep havin' fun safely.
Abbey Peyton is a senior studying broadcast journalism. How do you think people should bring up STD tests with their partners? Email her at ap384611@ohio.edu.
