1 in 4 college students has an STD, according to Hartford HealthCare. 

According to Inside Higher Ed., STDs are common on college campuses for many reasons—students have a difficult time addressing the topic with partners, they are more likely to make quick and risky decisions, they do not know the signs of STDs and they feel too embarrassed to get checked.  

The best way to prevent STDs is to educate students about how they spread and what they can do to prevent them. 

Omega Psi Phi hosted an event that educated students on the importance of preventing STDs and regularly getting tested. 

Michael Lofton, a member of Omega Psi Phi, said many students feel embarrassed because they do not know about STDs, but hearing about it from another student in their position could have a huge impact that could potentially save their life. 

“Educating students about STDs is important because [it might] save not only themself but their sex partners,” Lofton said. 

According to the CDC, the best way to avoid getting an STD is abstinence, which means refraining from vaginal, oral or anal sex. The second-best way is by using condoms and making sure to apply them correctly. 

At the event, students learned about how abstinence and condoms work best at preventing STDs. If a student needed a condom, they could take as many as they wanted.  

While this may seem like something most people would know, some students feel they have not  been educated about STDs in college. 

Grace Ebang, second-year pharmacy student, said she did not learn about STDs until far into college and we should be more open about them in case other students are in the same predicament. 

“I don’t feel like I am adequately informed about STDs,” Ebang said. “We really all need to be more open to talk about [getting] tested and [if we have] had an STD before.” 

If a student needs an STD test, they can visit the Health Clinic on campus. They are open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and walk-ins are welcome.