Silence spreads STDs
By Christopher DaCosta
Taking a quick look around campus this week, it's evident that most of the student body is engaged in a battle against a flu virus, yours truly being one of them. I don't think I've had so many people tell me to stay the hell away from them since that time I wanted to see how long I could go without bathing.
Hygiene habits aside, this illness many of us are using as an excuse to catch up on the sleep we missed out on during Spring Break, is a relatively public battle. The luggage under our eyes is visible; the look of disorientation is unmistakable; and the constant rotation of pajama bottoms is an inexcusable fashion faux pas.
Now imagine having to wage a more private war -- one that some co-eds undoubtedly endure beneath their sexy bikini bottoms. Many say that college campuses around the United States are hotbeds for three things: political activism, binge drinking and of course, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
On the educational front, Santa Clara students are well equipped with knowledge about STDs and their prevention. Michelle Helms, a nurse practitioner at the Cowell Health center, explained to me that this is because Santa Clara students tend to come from religious backgrounds, and are more committed to the ideals of succeeding in their educational pursuits than their counterparts at other universities. Both these factors tend to reduce the incidence of STDs on campus.
That is not to say that such diseases are non-existent on campus, Helms said she diagnoses a broad spectrum of STDs, chlamydia being one of the more common ailments. It is hard to gauge exactly what percentage of students have STDs due to patient confidentiality and the possibility of students seeking care from sources other than Cowell.
A stigma exists on the social scene regarding STDs. We may be wary of the fear of sin that Catholicism has instilled in us, and we may not be as promiscuous as our UCSB equivalents. But STDs are widely ignored after hours. When was the last time the hot guy taking you home from The Hut said, "by the way, when we fool around, we have to avoid my genital region as I have a contagious disease?" When was the last time you asked your sexual partner, "do you have anything I could catch from you other than the fever of love?"
Communication is something not to skip in this aspect of a relationship, because you know what they say: like diamonds, some STDs are forever.
* Contact Christopher DaCosta at (408) 554-4546 or at cdacosta@scu.edu.