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Show BY CALLI PETERSON /STAFF WRITER PHOTO BY KIFFER CREVELING PLANNING PARENTHOOD BY STEFANIE AREVALO /STAFF WRITER M adison Port, 20, has gone to Planned Parenthood since she graduated from high school. "I get my birth control here and have yearly check- ins from a gynecologist," Port said. "It's the only place where I can afford the care, since I don't have to pay right up front." Port also uses the clinic for resources on family planning, which is one part of what the organization does. Planned Parenthood also works with teens to make independent and informed decisions on sex, focuses on women's health and reproductive care and provides some medical coverage. Their main goal, though, is to prevent unintended pregnancies. Planned Parenthood has a number of locations across the state, including one in Salt Lake City, and is a nationally recognized family planning institution. Walter Arr, who works with the organization, said the clinics also offers STD tests and pap smears. And when it comes to an unplanned preg- . BY CHRISTINE KANNAPEL /STAFF WRITER robably the last thing couples want to think about on Valentine's Day is STDs, but for the U's Center for Student Wellness, they're first on the list. The center is promoting STD testing this week, as well as throughout the year, for all sexually active individuals on campus. The U's STD rate is relatively low, but the center is focusing its efforts on the two most frequently diagnosed: chlamydia and gonorrhea. Both are bacterial-based infections that, if not cured, can have health consequences. Marty Liccardo, a health educator at the U's Center for Student Wellness, is an advocate of STD testing for this reason. "Sometimes people who have it don't even know and spread it without knowing it because they don't get tested," Liccardo said. According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are 2.86 million cases of chlamydia each year in the United States. The infection is also typically asymptomatic, meaning that symptoms are not always visible. If chlamydia goes untreated in women, it can cause permanent scarring and infertility of the fallopian tubes in the reproductive system. The STD can be prevented by protection, such as condoms, and cured by a series of pills. Gonorrhea, according to the CDC, is slightly less common with p nancy, Arr said Planned Parenthood has a number "The decision of the future of someone's pregnancy is totally up to them — we can't make that decision for them," Arr said. "Instead, we provide the 'confirmation IMF V of pregnancy' and connect the individual to resources tion of pregnancy." 820,000 cases per year in the U.S. But it causes similar damage as chlamydia and is also asymptomatic. "Testing for STDs should become a common part of healthcare, not just something before Valentine's Day," Liccardo said. "But unfortunately we have an attitude about STDs that prevents students from receiving the care they need." The Center of Student Wellness, located in the new Student Life Center, found that most students feel ashamed of having an STD, so they don't seek out the medical care they need. Liccardo said these infections are a serious issue because they spread, noting that students being under or misinformed is the number one cause of the spread on campus. Lauren Kell, a junior in marketing, is glad the center actively provides STD testing. "It's awkward talking to a partner, but I think testing needs to become a frequent thing to keep campus on the up and up," Kell said. "No one wants gonorrhea, and no one wants to spread it." If students feel embarrassed asking questions, they can submit them anonymously to the Center for Student Wellness's website at wellness.utah.edu . "Our hope is to spread education," Liccardo said, "as well as to providing testing opportunities on campus." c.kannapel@chronicle.utah.edu @chriswritine TDs in the United States, 2013 of resources for individuals. ranging from prenatal services, adoption or termina- No one wants 'ern CHLAMYDIA In Utah, there is one Planned Parenthood location GONORR A Cases reported in 013: 1,401,906 Cases reported in 2013: 333,004 — Rate per 100,000 I • 446.6;1 de- — Rate per 100,000 people: 446.6;1 decrease of 0.6% since that will perform abortions. "Ultimately, our goal here is to provide a safe place for women of all ages to get the attention they need in an approachable way," Arr said. According to the National Campaign, 36 percent of women in Utah report having an unplanned pregnancy. Port said she relies on Planned Parenthood because that's not something she has the money for right now. • "I can barely afford to pay for my apartment," she said. "It wouldn't be fair to drop a baby into that mix, i■ Nram■-•■•11 0 ,4 1.STOCK UP ON CANDY Sugar is a remarkable thing. It can turn a boring moment into an exhilarating one. Also, let's face it, everybody loves candy. If you don't, you're crazy, and if they don't, they're not worth dating. Remember when you were young and your mom would keep a handful of candy in her purse? You would cooperate just so you could get some candy. Why not use that logic in a date situation? You and your date awkwardly have your heads down staring at your shoes and hoping one of you will think of something the least bit interesting to say. All of sudden, you remember you have a bag of M&Ms in your bag.You whip open the bag, offer the delicious snack and immerse in a fabulous conversation of "What is your favorite candy" while marveling in a sugar rush. 2. CREATE A GAME Anything could be made into a game. People-watching is a fun game. While on your date, find a person or group of people and come up with a scenario. Pretend you're that person, and make a dialogue to go along with their actions. This can become a light and humorous way to relieve the stress of talking only about yourself. It can also give you a way to further understand your date. If all else fails, you can always whip out your phone and play a few rounds of Trivia Crack. 3. ACT INTERESTED IN EVERYTHING THEY SAY Sometimes, when you are expecting the date to go horribly wrong, you let yourself lose interest in what your date is saying. However, there is a way to correct your boredom. Just act overly interested in everything your date says. Instead of settling for a makeshift conversation, liven it up with a little acting. You may be so good at pretending to be interested, you actually become interested.This will make your date seem a lot more interesting without making you seem like an impolite date. Even if you and your date find out you are really not meant for each other, you can at least have an entertaining time by implementing some of these tips. Good luck, and happy dating! c.peterson@chronicle.utah.edu @ChronyArts too, when there's not much I could offer." s.arevalo@chronicle.utah.edu @ArevaloStefani 6 { THECHRONY I NEWS I OPINION I ARTS I SPORTS w e've all had them, and we never want to have them again. Dates that seem to be going nowhere.You and your date have already talked about hobbies, education, families, etc., and nothing seems to click.This isn't you or your date's fault. There just doesn't seem to be a spark. Unfortunately, you've realized this about 20 minutes too far into the date. As college students, we are bound to have an awkward date at least once in our college career. And that's being optimistic. Awkward dates seem to be the epitome of college students' love lives. More often than not, this awkward interaction spawns from blind dates set up by our peers. Our friends notice we're lonely or mismatched in a group, so they grab the first available suitor. At first, we may think this is a great idea because, let's face it, we haven't gone on a date in a while. However, as the date looms closer, we remember why being single is better. First dates are hard. They're even more difficult when you've never met the person.You have to answer all those unoriginal questions about yourself.You have to make yourself seem so much more interesting than you think you are, not to mention you still want to have an enjoyable time. When the conversation lags or something astonishingly embarrassing happens, you need a way to make up for it. These tips will hopefully inspire some creativity when it comes to dating. SOURCE: CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015 } 7 |