Stop Beating Around the Bush — Our Sexual Wellness Education Needs Help

The first semester of college brings about many changes for young adults as they  navigate independence, constant academic pressure and — for some students — new, more intimate experiences.

The MSU students I know are generally open to talking about sexual health, which is encouraging, but it isn’t enough on its own. We need to investigate potential gaps in our education and recognize that we can be more open as a community about sex, STDs and contraceptives.

According to Stephanie McDowell, the executive director at Bridgercare, just half of sexually active students reported using a condom the last time they had sex.

“In 2021, people aged 15 to 24 were the most likely group to contract chlamydia in Gallatin County,” McDowell said. To me, it seems that these age ranges and rates might line up with low condom use.

Despite this, she said college students are talking about sexual health more than ever before.

“Compared to older generations, today’s students are often more open to discuss things like consent, healthy relationships and the emotional aspects of sexual wellbeing,” she said.

As of 2025, 45 percent of patients who visit Bridgercare for reproductive health are between 19 and 24, and the clinic regularly partners with MSU professors, student organizations and undergrad interns to provide sexual health education on campus.

In addition, MSU has resources available for students looking to learn about their reproductive health. Student Health Services is an excellent source for contraceptives, birth control and sound medical advice. Additionally, the MSU Women’s Center provides free Plan B and condoms.

However, while the University offers plenty of resources for contraceptives, some say they have been harder to come by recently.

According to psychology professor Katharine Kujawa, there have been fewer free condoms in dorms.

“I’ve heard some students saying that there aren’t as many condoms being passed out in the residence halls these days,” they said. “[It’s] definitely different from the MSU I’ve known for the past 15 or 20 years.”

When I lived in the dorms, there were always bowls of condoms in bathrooms and we had frequent floor meetings about safe, consensual sex. These were discreet safe sex practices — especially for students who didn’t want to be seen purchasing condoms or couldn’t afford to.

Even if they weren’t very personal or extensive, these discussions made me feel like I could reach out to dorm staff for help if anything was amiss.

Kujawa has also noticed that students seem to be coming to MSU with less knowledge about sexual health than before. “In the last two or three years, I’ve encountered a growing population of students who have had absolutely no exposure to sexual health education,” they said. “There seems to be a widening gap of what people know.”

Before starting college, I did research on sexual health and settled on an IUD. Nonetheless, many topics were mysterious to me, such as male birth control and fertility cycles. Throughout college, my education still hasn’t felt like enough.

Sydney Marcus, a political science student, said she recognized these gaps in her own knowledge before arriving at MSU. Marcus’s experience underscores the idea that many students are coming in with limited sexual education. She said she transferred from a religious school that did not offer birth control options or initiate conversations about sex.

According to her, while MSU has done a great job offering resources and being open to people’s needs, that alone doesn’t address the knowledge gaps students bring with them.

“If they wanted to provide more general information on the topic, that would probably be helpful,” Marcus said. “Any education is good education.”

She suggested that Student Health Services should have sexual health newsletters that discuss where to find oral contraceptives and offer research-based advice for students.

Despite being a frequently taboo topic, sexual health is human health. Students are improving communication and seeking resources now more than ever, but Gallatin County is still struggling with STD rates — and MSU students are still coming in with gaps in their sexual education. Now, it's up to us to fill those gaps and find healthy ways to have sex.