The Talk of Shame

Sex and Chocolate gives bashful freshmen a mini initiation into adulthood.

Everyone loves chocolate. Mix that with sex, and it sounds like a night in heaven. But the mandated freshman RCC event, Sex and Chocolate, can only be described as awkward. It lacked the passion that comes to mind when treats are used in the same phrase as intercourse.

Multiple RCC classes meet in an almost clinically bright classroom where a representative from CAPS tries her hardest to break the embarrassing stigma of a “sex talk.” Results tend to include red faces and giggling.

Don’t get me wrong: CAPS is an incredibly fundamental organization to have on campus, and their efforts never go unnoticed. What is wrong with this picture is that college freshmen are embarrassed to openly talk about their sex lives with each other. A clear line is drawn between the male and female population from the moment students enter the room. It’s as if an unspoken rule exists that when discussing sex, opposing genders should not be mixing. If that doesn’t add to the tension, only a few brave souls open their mouths to discuss anonymous questions submitted by peers. In this class, it should not matter if you are a virgin or a nymphomaniac. However, it is clear that judgments may be made if you offer up your role-play ideas for an anonymous peer who asked for a way to spice up time with his partner.

Students who are often seen hooking up with others on the dance floor of Roxy are suddenly covering their mouths and turning red at the discussion of blow jobs and sex positions. Let’s face it: sex is sex. It is a human necessity. It is going to happen to all of us at some point if it hasn’t already. And yes, sadly, you may be judged for having sex. However, why can’t college freshmen, so often told that they are adults, treat an educational meeting on sex with the same ambition found in our classrooms? These anonymous questions are (hopefully) serious and informative.

For every person in the classroom finding that they already know all the answers, I am sure we will find another person wondering what the answer is. Sex in college needs to be informative, and what better way than to learn from your peers experiencing the same feelings and emotions?

CAPS is certainly going in the right direction with open talks and free pieces of Twix and Three Muskateers. However, there is something that many need to focus on before attending the event. For future attendees: please treat the event as if you are going to your 9:00 AM English class. You may teach your peers while you learn something too. Treat it as a mini initiation into adulthood. Have no shame in talking about a fact of human life without judgement.

The opinions on this page do not necessarily reflect those of The Sandspur, its staff or Rollins College.