Skip to content

8 Ways College Women Can Protect Their Health

Lily says…School’s in session. There are NEW People to meet. Parties full of Play. Too Much of Everything, so be EXTRA careful out there, the Coed’s are loose and back in town! Test often, test for all STIs (Sexually Transmitted Infection)
, Know your status and Protect YOURSELF so YOU HAVE A FUTURE after you graduate from college! It’s the least you can do since you’ll be paying for that education for the next several decades!
Remember it’s gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month, too.

Awareness and follow-up are keys to avoiding gynecologic problems, expert advises
By Randy Dotinga
MONDAY, Sept. 11, 2017 (HealthDay News)

The start of college means it’s time for young women to take charge of their health.

Dr. Aparna Sridhar, an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of California, Los Angeles, offers several tips in a University news release. (List of 8 itesm follows:)

  1. Know your health status. Talk to your parents and your doctor to make sure you’re up-to-date with health screenings, shots and prescriptions. Ask about the status of allergies and other health issues.
  2. Guard against HPV. Sridhar said college students should make sure they have been immunized for human papilloma virus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection. “It can cause cervical cancer but can be prevented by the HPV vaccination and screening with pap smears,” she said.
  3. Know how to get health care on campus. Find out the location of the closest health center that accepts your insurance.
  4. Keep track of menstrual cycles. Being aware of your cycle will allow you to provide specifics to doctors if there’s an issue. “When I ask my patients when their last period was, the first thing they do is open their cellphone. Many women are tracking their cycles through apps now,” Sridhar said. You might also want to track your mood, cramps and birth control use.
  5. Protect yourself during sex. Consider condom use to guard against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Prevent unplanned pregnancies by using birth control and emergency contraception after unprotected sex.
  6. Don’t tolerate sexual abuse or violence. One in four undergraduate women is sexually assaulted on campus. Consult the campus website or your dorm’s resident assistant for help reporting an assault.
  7. Follow good hygiene habits. Change sanitary protection as recommended. Use fragrance-free, pH-neutral soap in the vaginal area instead of scented soaps or shampoos. Avoid feminine sprays, douches or powders.
  8. “Vaginal discharge is abnormal if you have itching, redness and pain,” Sridhar said. “I recommend patients to see a doctor if they have discharge that is greenish-yellow, foamy or a bad smell.”
  9. Beware of urinary tract infections. “Drink plenty of water to flush out your system and talk to your doctor if you have pain and frequent urination with burning,” Sridhar said. “If neglected, these can lead to kidney infections.” Always urinate after having sex.

SOURCE: University of California, Los Angeles Health Sciences, news release
Copyright (c) 2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

A Few College Info Links to Get YOU Started

We have included a few links we felt had topics of interest to not only the Freshmen, new to the college experience, but also some excellent reminders to those students who feel they are “well-seasoned” and know it all. Keep your personal safety in mind at all times.

You are the ONLY one you can count on to keep YOUR best interest in mind, so make the best decision you possibly can.

Keep in mind your decisions are based on whether or not you are thinking clearly, doing drugs and drinking make the choices riskier because you forget the things you know can keep you safer, like using a condom each and every sex act, using lube, and knowing how to put them on .& thake them off helps keep you both STI FREE!

20 Life Skills Not Taught In School from Successful Student
10 College Tips for Freshman Women
Straight Talk for College Women from the WSJ (Wall Street Journal)4 Self-Defense & Safety Tips All College Girls Should Know from Her Campus
Top 10 Safe Dating Tips for College Women from The New Agenda
21 Women On Helpful Dating Advice They Wish They Had Gotten In College from Thought Catalog
18 Pieces Of Advice For College Women In The Workplace
College Dating Advice for Women of Color from 11ahleven.com
The Best Advice 11 Inspiring Women In Tech Would Give To Their College Selves
College Dating Advice: 5 Things Seniors Know that Freshmen Don’t
Joe Biden’s Advice For Men In College Sends A Strong Message About Sexual Assault

And a few to make you Giggle!

8 Weird Items No One Tells You To Buy For Your Dorm But You Totally Need
19 Things No One Tells You About Moving Away For College
Unique, Silly & Fun Scholarships from Fastweb
34 Weird (But Cool) College Majors
20 Completely Ridiculous College Courses Being Offered At U.S. Universities