Despite such casual approaches to sex, it is important to remember that sex is not casual. Making love involves powerful emotions and extreme intimacy, and waking up the next morning with someone you don t know can be awful. It is okay to put off having sex until one feels ready, and, in spite of what one may see around them, many Colby students do wait. There are lots of people at Colby to whom students can talk while deciding what is right for them. The counselors, nurses, physician s assistants, physicians, and the nurse practitioner at the health center and the College chaplains would be happy to discuss these issues with students.
All discussions are confidential, of course.
If the partner is female, males should also be familiar with birth control methods and with responsibility surrounding this issue and the issue of pregnancy. Confidential HIV testing and counseling is available at the health center. A sexually active female whose partner is male should also be aware of various birth control methods and the options and responsibilities surrounding pregnancy. There is a debate over how much concern females whose partners are female should have over the AIDS virus, since lesbians are the lowest risk category among sexually active people. AIDS and all other STDs, however, should still be considered a threat, and students should make an informed decision regarding protection.