College life can be fun because it means having a lot of freedom, exploring your interests, getting to know new people, going to parties and, for some, enjoying sex. But what some college students aren’t mindful of is the responsibility that goes with sex and taking the right methods to have a safe experience.

When it comes to contraceptive methods, some women take birth control pills, use patches or implants to avoid the use of condoms. However, students are not always aware that even though these may be efficient methods to avoid undesired pregnancies, they don’t protect against STDs.

Female and male condoms are the only forms of birth control that will help protect against STDs and HIV. According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people ages 15–24 years are estimated to acquire half of all new STDs and one in four sexually active adolescent females has an STD.

Luckily, there are always ways to prevent STDs, and if you aren’t aware of them, Syracuse University’s Health Services can help.

The Daily Orange spoke with Crystal Hendriks, a senior double majoring in public health and psychology and an SU Health Services public health education intern, about Health Services’ workshop series related to STD testing and health insurance. The third of the three workshops will take place Friday.

The Daily Orange: What is the event about, where is it taking place and what is the purpose of it?

Crystal Hendriks: The event is a three-day college health workshop called “The More You Know: College Health Edition,” happening on March 30, April 6 and April 13 from 2–3 p.m. in Day Hall. … The third workshop is one (where) students can learn and engage in activities surrounding STI testing and knowledge about its relationship to health insurance.

The D.O.: What awareness would you like to create in students attending this event?

C.H.: The purpose of the initiative as a whole is to provide safe spaces for students to ask health professionals questions about college health pertaining to them, while engaging in fun activities, winning prizes and a free meal in the meantime.

D.O.: What results are you hoping to achieve with this event?

C.H.: The results that we are hoping for are 15-20 students in attendance at each workshop, and that they leave having learned something new about the topic of the day.

D.O.: Why do you think is it relevant for students to come?

C.H.: It is relevant for students to come because preventative health and promotion is a major priority on a college campus, so that students feel informed about health issues and resources available to them.

Doménica Orellana is a freshman broadcast and digital journalism major. She can be reached at dporella@syr.edu.

Published on April 11, 2018 at 11:38 pm