THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2007
Sex on the Hill 11B
Stepping out into the college scene
Parties, sex, schoolwork, relationships after high school
BY ALEX DUFEK editor@kansan.com
As students make the jump from high school to college, a new dating scene faces them. Despite the hype of more people, parties and alcohol, dating in college is not any more exciting than in high school.
Franklin Fantini, Lawrence junior, said minor changes in sex and dating occur as students move on to college, but the two are mostly the same, just different ages.
However, there are apparent differences. College offers more people, house parties and a busy bar scene all week long, opposed to high school where there are the same people in the same building every day and parents must skip town in order to throw a party.
"In college, it's a catalyst because of the bars," Fantini said. "You can meet a lot of people, and you have all these classes all over the place and there are tons of people all over the place."
Laura Edwards, Leawood sophomore, said that it has been more difficult for her to meet good, nice guys because she lived in an all-girl dorm last year and she currently lives in a sorority house.
Students suggested meeting people through organizations and classes but said that bars and house parties may not be the best place to meet people if interested in starting a relationship.
"I think it's really funny how a lot of my friends will go to Neon or go to parties and get all dressed up and think that tonight's the night that you'll meet
around that I don't really see the benefits of having to be with one person," Cowan said.
Fantini agreed that while the enthusiasm for long-term relationships may deteriorate in some students, hormones don't.
"It's easier to meet people because you're drunk, but at the same time it's also easy just to be really horny when you're drunk." Fantini said. "You just want
"Having places without parents is definitely a factor in college.I think it means the physical pace moves a lot faster."
to meet somebody to get laid, or whatever."
As supervision decreases from high school to college, the physical pace of a relationship increases. Students are able to pick up people and take them back to their places, not their parents'.
The stronger moral beliefs of high school students are often loosened by college's progressive structure.
"Having places without parents is definitely a factor in college. I think it means the physical pace moves a lot faster," Cowan said.
"High school was a lot more conservative, and then at KU, or colleges in general, things get quite a bit more liberal and progressive," Cowan said.
somebody. But when you think about it, you're drunk and everybody else is drunk and your not really going to make anything lasting," said Kristin Cowan, Wichita junior.
KRISTIN COWAN
Wichita junior
As age increases, many students move past their first
"I think it's really funny how a lot of my friends will go to Neon or go to parties and get all dressed up thinking tonight's the night that you'll meet somebody."
serious relationships and the necessity to spend all their time with one person decreases.
The focus on serious relationships dies down for some in college because of the wide selection of people to choose from. "There's so many people
KRISTIN COWAN Wichita junior
was like, 'Sweet, I'm in a relationship' and that's all I could think about, that's all I did," Fantini said.
"In college it's kind of like, 'I'm in college to be in college'." Fantini said. "I'd like to meet some girls, and it sounds kind of stupid, but I'd also like to get my homework and other stuff
school, they apply more focus towards schoolwork.
Making time for homework and other extracurricular activities are also a factor on students' decisions for dating. As students study for their professions rather than the required classes of high
done."
While busy schedules discourage some students from committing long-term, others don't mind facing the challenges. Will Fernholz, Overland Park
sophomore, said that although his girlfriend from high school attends a different university, they are still together.
"When I came down here, it was something so brand new for me to have to be away from my girlfriend. I got hit with not only a lot of homework, but also a lot of fun things that I want to be doing, and you have to find a way to make time for your relationship as well," Fernholz said.
In the end, dating in college, like high school, is what the individual makes of it. The added pressures of college and increasing physical pace affect, but do not determine, one's experience.
— Edited by Meghan Murphy
Not getting dirty isn't nerdy
Abstinence provides protection from pregnancies, STDs
BY MELISSA JOHNSON editor@kansan.com
College is the four-year "joyride" that sometimes turns out to be a little longer than expected. Movies like "Van Wilder" have immortalized the ideal university lifestyle: wild parties, crazy antics, alcohol and of course, sex.
Students are beset by the sexuality of today's world. University health programs and various clubs can be found handing out condoms and lube on cam-
a means to prevent pregnancy, or is it also a means to avoid obtaining sexually transmitted diseases?
According to the Centers for Disease Control, abstinence is to abstain from vaginal, anal and oral sex. According to the Alan Guttmacher Institute, oral sex still puts one at risk for HIV and other STDs, and anal sex actu-
"It's easy to become addicted to things. [Abstinence is] my way of controlling myself and doing what I want to do."
pus. Sex is in movies, advertisements and TV shows.
LEETA THIESSEN
Fayetteville, Ark., Junior
The pursuit of sex usually begins in high school, and in some cases even earlier. But at the college level, sex is not just common, it's almost expected, whether it's a one-night stand or part of a serious relationship.
People seem ashamed to acknowledge they are still virgins. One KU student asked that her name be left out of this article after admitting it.
The definition of abstinence is debatable: is abstinence simply
ally increases that risk.
Some people choose to wait to have sex for fear of STDs. For others, there are spiritual and religious reasons.
junior, said he thought people should just wait until they are emotionally ready for sex.
Brett Turner,
Overland Park
"I don't think there's an invisible man in the sky who hates sex" Turner said.
Leeta Thiessen, Fayetteville, Ark., junior, said abstaining from sex was a measure of self-discipline.
"It's easy to become addicted to things." Thiessen said. "[Abstinence is] my way of controlling myself and doing what I want to do."
Some students said losing virginity to the right person was important. Kylie Fernandez, Olathe junior, has been with her boyfriend for four years and has no regrets of having a sexual relationship with him.
"Not that our relationship is based on sex, but it has brought us closer," Fernandez said. "If we didn't have that kind of relationship and trust, we probably wouldn't still be together."
The decision to have sex should be a personal decision, but people need others and need to feel like they belong. In a 1985 study, Ellen Berscheid showed that most people will name the people closest to them — friends, romantic partners and family as who makes their lives complete. A 2002 study by Ed Diener and Martin Seligman showed that college students listed close relationships as more satisfying than money. It is, however, up to the individual to determine what sort of relationships those are, platonic or romantic. So even amidst all the "Van Wilders" out there, a student's "ideal" college lifestyle does not have to include sex.
-Edited by Chris Beattie
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