Sexual education is important for everyone to learn, but especially college-aged students who are navigating relationships as adults rather than as young teenagers for the first time.  

Sexual education in the United States has been known to be quite lacking in multiple ways. Many young adults learn about the human body around the end of elementary school or in health classes throughout middle or high school. Some are taught by their parents, through friends or even the internet. However, there is no required or highly encouraged class on sexual communication within the education system. 

According to Planned Parenthood, almost every state in the United States has some guidance on how and when sex education should be taught; however, decisions are often left up to individual school districts. This flawed system leads students with a lack of sexual education more times than not by the time they enter college. 

When students lack access to comprehensive sex education, this increases the probability of teen pregnancy or STIs. College students need to understand the important concepts of sex, including contraception, proper consent and the emotional implications of sex.

As a communication media and Spanish double major, I chose to take COM 498: Advanced Topics in Communication (Sexual Communication) as an elective this semester, and I’m so glad I did. It is also crucial to note my professor took the time on the first day of class to tell us that it is more than OK to be taking a sexual communication class no matter how small or extensive your sexual experience is because the information is just as useful and important. 

In my previous sexual education provided sporadically in elementary, middle and high school, I didn’t learn much except the objective biological facts we’re required to learn. 

This common sexual education experience can make talking or learning about sex difficult for many students as the line of what to ask or share is extremely unclear in these classes or conversations. Furthermore, this often leads to many unanswered questions that can cause issues in relationships later in life. 

I can honestly say that COM 498 is already the best sexual education experience I have ever had. The environment is safe, welcoming and fun. All cards are on the table and topics range from healthy or unhealthy behaviors within relationships, dating app culture, societal expectations of men versus women of all sexual orientations and so much more. 

Our first ice breaker activity was saying our name and defining the sex term given to us in whatever words came to mind — technical or slang. My word happened to be orgy, while others ranged from titties to cunnilingus or fellatio; the official terms for oral sex on given to a woman or a man, respectively. 

Many students, including myself, did not know a number of terms as there were over 80 presented, but this made the experience even funnier and relaxing. No one was made to feel embarrassed for not knowing something or defining a word in an unsophisticated manner. 

In fact, the environment in which we learn is often hilarious as students are free to say and share what they please for the benefit of learning about sex. Our professor recently mentioned a website from the Bronx Zoo that lets you name a live roach after your ex, so I’d say it’s a pretty good time. 

Not only has sexual education been lacking in school systems for so long, but also healthy relationship education has never really been integrated into education as much as it should be. 

This sexual communication class at NC State has also opened my eyes to learn the exact researched reasons why people act the way they do in relationships, including myself. We learned how when inherently normal behaviors or feelings like jealousy are done excessively is when relationships tend to turn toxic. Learning concepts like this as a young teenager or earlier on in college could have potentially saved me a lot of trouble in relationships or any romantic encounter for that matter.

Toxic relationships can put students through a whirlwind of emotions and issues that can hinder not only their college experience but also their college education overall. So, if we can avoid experiencing toxic relationships as much as possible and learn all of the otherwise taboo information about sex via classes like sexual communication — and hopefully more classes on sex and relationships in the future — we can achieve healthy sexual conversations and relationships.  

Sex education has been flawed for long enough. A class like this shouldn’t be tucked away within the requirements of a communication major or a random elective credit for any major, it should be publicized and encouraged to be taken. This is only the beginning of improving all students’ futures, a future they can live where sex exists and is a normal active component of young adult conversations.