Sex.

It seems the word gets quite a lot of attention here in the college world.’

Heck, if the word itself doesn’t, I’d say the switch from the candy bowl in your parents’ house to the condom bowl in the Health Center should have let you know right when you got here.

And what better atmosphere to promote the act of sex than a world with no parents, loads of attractive hormonal twenty-somethings and a fair share of beds within walking distance from one another?’

And did I mention alcohol?’ You’ve got to love a substance that takes away inhibitions, makes people friendlier, and to be honest, starts to make that guy or girl to the left of you a little more attractive than they were a few drinks earlier.’

There has also the brilliant invention of contraceptives. Great! Now we no longer have to worry about what sex was actually intended for’mdash;reproducing.’

So what’s wrong with sex’hellip;all the time’hellip;anytime’hellip;with anyone?’

To be honest, I can’t help but worry about how such a common acceptance of promiscuity may be affecting us as young adults.’

Remember all that mumbo jumbo we heard about as kids?’ We were told sex was an act of love and something to be done with those you care about.’

Well, surely that guy who keeps buying you beers at the bar loves you. (He bought you five Coronas at four dollars a pop and he might even pay for your cab!)’

And, of course, that guy you’ve been hooking up with cares about you.’ (I mean you’ve had sex at least three times now, so it’s not just a random hook up anymore, right?)

Granted, none of these behaviors make us bad people.’ I’m not writing this article to judge or condemn anyone. ‘
We’re young, so let’s live a little, right?’ I’m just here to stress the importance of making sure that we are learning along the way.

I just can’t help but wonder how our sexual activity is affecting us now, as well as in the long run.’

I wonder if passion still exists in the sex we are engaging in as young adults’mdash;not passion as in lust but passion that evolves from caring about another human being or finding who they are as a person to be truly beautiful.’

Most of us are still finding out who we are’mdash;now more than ever.’ ‘ So what knowledge are we gaining regarding sex?

Sex is an absolutely amazing thing.’ It creates a connection between two people, it gives us pleasure, it is a physical representation of love, it is natural and’mdash;let’s face it’mdash;it’s a great physical workout.’

However, I think the way many of us often treat sex’mdash;as something for mere pleasure’mdash;short changes not only our respect for the act itself, but also ourselves and others.

The individuals involved are nothing more than their physical body; in harsher terms, they become nothing more than pieces of meat.

In addition, sex becomes a selfish act: working to please yourself instead of working to please the other person, as well.’

In a sense, sex for mere pleasure negates the concept of love.

Now, I’m not telling anyone to wrap a chastity belt around their waist and call it a day.’

I’d have to say that for as many students as there are on this campus, there are equally as many views on the meaning of sex.’ However, I would like to ask all of you to take a moment to decide what your own sexuality means to you.

I hope that your meaning of sexuality does not sacrifice the respect you have for yourself or others.’

Our sexuality deals with our own bodies, and the way we choose to use our bodies is solely up to us.’ As for my words of encouragement: use responsibly.

Anne Napatalung may be reached at anapatalung@ut.edu.

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