Sex and Intimacy: Movin' On Up! | York's RED Zone

Making the Transition from High School to University

Let?s be honest: high school is a really awkward time for most people. Between going through the final stages of puberty, suffering through the dreaded ?talk? with your parents, and trying to figure out what to do with the rest of your life, this period is basically just a series of?weird? uncomfortable encounters. This can make it really difficult to explore your sexuality, to learn about dating, and to develop intimate relationships. This was certainly the case for me.

?Then I came to York, and EVERYTHING changed. Even though I was moving out a small school in a small town to one of the biggest universities in Canada, I felt much more confident with who I was and what I wanted. And this feeling was reflected in my peers. This made it a lot easier to enter into relationships and test the waters of sexuality. And, well, let?s just say I dove headfirst into that pool. Of course, I always made sure to have my water wings and pool noodle with me. (Hint: not actual pool toys?though one was made of latex and kept me safer, and the other was?well?never mind).

There were a few reasons for this change in atmosphere. One huge contributor to my new found hobby was that I attended Frosh Week, during which I met some amazing people, many of whom I still see. The entire experience was so energetic and exciting that it was easy to make friends and meet potential partners. As well, everything was so sex-positive! We had seminars on dating and intimacy, presentations about safer sex, and the taboo that surrounded the topic in high school was totally eliminated! After a night of Dirty Bingo at Winters, it?s hard to feel awkward talking about sex.

Another huge factor was that I was living away from home and in residence. I no longer had a curfew, and I didn?t have to ask my parents if I could have ?friends? over for a ?sleepover.? This made it much easier to have partners over for the night; I can tell you that signing someone into your residence is much easier than sneaking them into your second-floor bedroom window. True story.

Another difference was the availability of condoms; they were everywhere! In high school, you had to make a trip to the nurse?s office and, through a deep crimson blush, mumble that you wanted condoms. Or, worse yet, you could head to a convenience store to pick some up, and stare at the floor as one of your classmates cashed you out. AWK-WARD! At York, however, it?s hard to turn a corner without condoms being there. In our Frosh kits, in our dons? rooms, at the front desk of the residence, and (shameless promotion) at Health Education! I could get as many as I wanted, when I wanted, without any awkward encounters. Hallelujah!

I guess the main message of this post is that things change during University, and the whole thing is set up as a perfect time to explore your sexuality and learn about dating, relationships, and intimacy. So be safe, be prepared, and have fun!

-Matt

Matt is a?Peer Health Educator?at York University, studying Kinesiology and Psychology. ?As the team lead of the?Mental Health and Stress Team, Matt enjoys talking to students and educating people on mental health and spreading the word on stress management, you can find him at?Wellness Wednesday?in Vari Hall throughout the year. ?He?s a pretty cool guy.

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Source: http://redzone.yorku.ca/2012/08/sex-and-intimacy-movin-on-up/

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