HealthierU · February 28, 2007

Upcoming Events
The Great Latke vs. Hamentashen Debate
Thursday, March 1, 2007 ~ 7:00pm ~ PAC 001
The great latke vs. hamentashen debate, started over 50 years ago at the University of Chicago, will be held for the first time ever at Wesleyan University. Hear some of your favorite faculty and staff debate the merits of the delicious latke vs. the sweet hamentashen. The academic meets the culinary in this hilarious mock-serious debate of what is the best Jewish delicacy; the latke or the hamentashen! Voting and free tasting after the debate. Sponsored by the Wesleyan Jewish Community.
 
Sexual Health Expo
Friday, March 2, 2007 ~ 12:00 to 6:00pm ~ Lobby of the Exley Science Center
Stop by WesWELL's annual Sexual Health Expo to learn all about sexual and reproductive health issues....and take your picture in the giant 7 foot vulva! Details at Sexual Health Expo 2007.  

Workshop Schedule...
1:00pm    WesSex Workshop
2:00pm    Vagina Monologues (selected skits)
2:30pm    BDSM Workshop
3:30pm    Vagina Monologues (selected skits)
4:00pm    Vulva 101
5:00pm    Vagina Monologues...Moaning skit & Moaning Workshop
 
Student Groups & Offices Tabling...
ASHA: AIDS & Sexual Health Awareness
SHAC: Student Health Advisory Committee
SGAC: Student Global AIDS Coalition
S4M: Students 4 Microbicides
Cunt Club
Reproductive Justice Coalition
Wes' Planned Parenthood Interns
V-Day/Vagina Monologues
Take Back the Night Committee
Health Services
WesWELL
 
Many groups will be fundraising for charitable causes...bring $$$$$$!!!

Sponsored by WesWELL's Peer Health Advocates.

Tips for a HealthierU
When maintaining eye contact becomes an issue....
See what Alice! offers for advice.

Need to know more about veganism?
Ask the Vegan Chef

Getting anxious about that upcoming test?
Learn more about test & performance anxiety

Quote of the Week
"It's just human. We all have the jungle inside of us. We all have wants and needs and desires, strange as they may seem. If you stop to think about it, we're all pretty creative, cooking up all these fantasies. it's like a kind of poetry." ~ from an episode of  "Northern Exposure", Mister Sandman, 1994

Healthy Dose of Info...10 Tips for Safer & Smarter Sex
It is always smart to talk about sex with your partner, a peer educator or a health care professional before you make the decision to have sex. While sexual intercourse always involves some risk of pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease, there are definitely ways of making your sexual experiences safer. Here are 10 simple things you can do, say and think about now before you have sex: 

1. Talk smart sex first. Have smart sex later. STIs and unintended pregnancies affect both partners, not just one person. If you feel uncomfortable discussing sex and birth control with your partner, then you shouldn't be having sex! Be straightforward and talk about sex beforehand so both partners know what to expect. It's easier to be rational and reasonable before you're in the "heat of the moment!"

2. Two are better than one! To help prevent both pregnancy and STIs, you should correctly and consistently use a birth control method like the Pill, the Patch or the Ring (for pregnancy prevention) and a condom or other barrier method (to prevent STIs). Condom use is essential, especially in relationships that are not monogamous. If your partner says no to contraceptives that may prevent STIs, like condoms, it's probably time to rethink your relationship. Nothing is worth the potential lifetime consequences of a few minutes of unprotected fun.

3. Don't feel pressured to have sex. Or have sex out of fear - fear of hurting someone's feelings by saying no or fear of being the "only one" who isn't doing it. Virtually everyone wants to fit in with his or her friends, but you should never compromise your values to be "part of the crowd." If you don't want to have sex, be honest, discuss the reasons behind your decision with your partner and stay true to you.

4. Don't abuse alcohol/use drugs if you think things could get physical. Drug use or alcohol abuse interferes with decision-making, which can lead to date rape, forgetting to use contraceptives or contracting an STI. The lowering of inhibitions that often accompanies alcohol use might make you think you'll enjoy sex more, but in fact, for a variety of biochemical reasons, too much alcohol actually makes sex less enjoyable for both men and women.

5. Use the buddy system. If you go to a party or a bar, go with friends and keep an eye out for each other. Agree that you won't leave with another person without telling someone. Sometimes a friend's "second opinion" could help prevent you from making decisions that you might regret later.

6. Remember that "no" means NO and passed out doesn't mean YES. Being drunk isn't a defense for committing sexual assault or a reason for being a victim of sexual assault. If you are too drunk to understand a person trying to say no; if you are too drunk to listen and respect a person saying no; or if you have sex with somebody who is passed out or incapable of giving consent, it can be considered rape.

7. Respect everyone's right to make his/her own personal decision - including yourself. There is no imaginary "deadline," no ideal age, no perfect point in a relationship where sex has to happen. If your partner tells you that he or she is not ready to have sex, respect his/her decision, be supportive and discuss the reasons behind it. It is everyone's ultimate right to decide when and how they have sex - be it the first time or the tenth time.

8. Be prepared for a sex emergency. Consider carrying two condoms with you just in case one breaks or tears while it's being put on. Both partners are equally responsible for preventing STIs, using contraceptives and both should carry condoms or other form of barrier protection. Sometimes things go wrong even when you try to do everything right. Maybe the condom broke or you forgot to take your birth control pill. Whatever the reason, women should know about emergency contraception or EC. Taken within 72 hours of intercourse, EC may prevent pregnancy.

9. The best protection doesn't mean less affection. Abstinence is actually the most effective way to protect against STIs and prevent pregnancy. But practicing abstinence doesn't mean you can't have an intimate physical relationship with someone - it just means you don't have vaginal or anal intercourse. There are many other ways to be intimate and not have intercourse - just be aware that alternatives, like oral sex, carry their own risks.

10. Make sexual health a priority. Whether you are having sex or not, both men and women need to have regular check-ups to make sure they are sexually healthy. Women should have annual gynecological exams. In fact, most campus doctors book months in advance - make your appointment today!

~ Accessed at SmarterSex.org

For more information on Wesleyan's health offices, visit:
WesWELL, the Office of Health Education
Health Services
Office of Behavioral Health for Students

Publicize your health-promoting event in HealthierU by emailing all the details to lcurrie @wesleyan.edu for the following Wednesday's edition of HealthierU.

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