Are you having safe sex?

At a young age, sexual health is important for lots of reasons...

Because it's all fun and games until something unexpected happens!

But don’t panic! You may hear 'sexual health' or 'safe sex' and your mind might go into overdrive but we assure you that it isn’t that scary. It just needs to be taken a bit more seriously.

When you hear the word contraception, what do you think of? For some of you, it might be the pill and for others, it might be condoms but it shouldn’t ever be a weigh-up between the two. Guys, you should always carry condoms ... and girls should too! Contraception isn’t there just to prevent unplanned pregnancy, it's there to stop the spread of infection and diseases too.

Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea are just two of the two most common STIs amongst young people and often occur without any major symptoms meaning if they're left untreated for a long period of time, they could cause serious complications. That’s why regular screenings are very important. It's recommended that under 25-year-olds (students, especially!) get tested regularly for sexually transmitted diseases and infections.

 NHS screenings are free and most sexual-related infections can be simply treated with antibiotics. No matter the issue you have, these drop-ins provide friendly and free services that will make you feel at ease.

If you haven't been having safe sex, there is no need for any embarrassing phone calls either. If you do happen to have an STI, the NHS can send text messages on your behalf to your sexual partner(s) to spare you that awkward phone call. You don’t even have to worry about your friends finding out!

Make sure you read our advice around sexual consent at university as well.

Just remember, always have safe and healthy sex!