Some come for information, some come because they are required to and some come hoping to win sex toys.
Whatever the reason, every year students turn out for Sex in the Dark, a sex education program led by Paola “Poli” Rijos, Student Health Service’s Health Educator, for residential college and dormitory floors.
Sex in the Dark takes a question-and-answer approach to sexual education. Students are given the chance to write down or e-mail questions they have before the program. During the program, the lights are turned off in the room and the questions are answered.
“We turn off the lights because even though the questions are anonymous, people still might blush when they hear their question being answered,” said Rijos.
In theory, by fostering a sense of anonymity, students are more likely to ask questions about what they are really wondering, rather than being constricted by embarrassment.
In general, the event is tailored to make students feel comfortable.
“We avoid scare tactics,” said Rijos. “We also try to remind students that not everyone is having sex. It may seem that way, because the only things you’ll hear about sex are from the people who are having it and being loud about it. But there are just as many people who aren’t having sex and being quiet.”
According to data from the Student Life sex survey, nearly 54 percent of freshmen report being virgins; this is comparable to data in other surveys circulated prior to the Sex in the Dark program.
Many students are surprised when they hear statistics similar to this at their floor’s Sex in the Dark program, based on data collected from students on the floor.
“I’d thought that a lot more people were having sex,” said freshman Andie Sporck.
Because students have had a vast range of experience with sex education in high school, students’ reactions can vary from “nothing I hadn’t heard before” to surprise or shock over the frankness of the program.
“Sex in the Dark freaked me out. I can’t believe they raffled off vibrators and anal beads,” said one freshman, who said she’d never had such explicit sex education before and preferred not to be identified by name. “I didn’t even know what they were until Sex in the Dark. It made me feel uncomfortable-I thought it was a little inappropriate.”
Another student jokingly complained that the name “Sex in the Dark” was false advertising.
Even as it attempts to cater to students with different educational and life experiences, the program attempts to distinguish itself with a candid environment and humorous tools like a fake vagina dubbed Lola.
Almost all students interviewed, though, appreciated the realistic approach that Sex in the Dark took.
“I thought it was good because they understood that people are going to have sex, and they weren’t ignoring that,” said Michael Fazio, a freshman. “They were very honest and frank and realistic in their approach, and that was good.”
Josh Lalo, another freshman, agreed.
“It’s good to have a place to talk about [sex], for people to talk about their problems,” he said. “I liked how they were so open about everything, especially the people who weren’t afraid to answer questions with stories from their personal experience.”
By the end of the first semester, every freshman has had the chance to attend Sex in the Dark with their residential college.
Most take advantage of the opportunity, but several students didn’t attend citing tests, busy schedules or just lack of interest.