You wouldn’t pay for the parking lot not to use it, and you wouldn’t pay for health care to not get medical help.

Yet, that’s exactly what happens every semester at Moorpark College when students don’t take advantage of the Student Health Center. For a school that has roughly 14,000 enrolled students, that’s a lot of wasted money on the student end.

Students who lack interest in the Health Center might not know about the services they already pay for when enrolling in their classes. When asked about the Student Health Center, a large number of students said they knew about it, but not any of the services that are offered within.

Student health coordinator Allison Barton says that Moorpark students might be wise to visit the Health Center first, rather than going directly to a family doctor.

“We want [students] to know they can come to us first if they have any issues while on campus,” Barton said. “And sometimes we can help out faster than their primary physician.”

Funded by the mandatory “student health fee” of $19 every student must pay when registering for classes, the Student Health Center provides a plethora of services from little things like free Band-Aids and condoms to more serious help in the form of mental health counseling.

Students who came through the K-12 schooling system no doubt remember the nurse’s office in their elementary and high schools as the resource on campus for medical attention. However, at some point in the transition from high school to college, students stop taking advantage of on-campus medical care.

“I use the counseling sessions at the Health Center,” Said Adrianna Fuentes, 24-year-old biology major, “I would like to see an increase in the limit of counseling sessions. Currently its only six session per semester.” She suggested an increase to eight or nine sessions.

There are select services available through the Student health center that may have a small cost such as cholesterol testing, flu shots, and any prescription medicine, all of which can be much cheaper than off-campus prices.

Above all, Barton feels it’s important that students realize that if they have no other options, the Student Health Center should be taken advantage of for as long as they are enrolled at Moorpark College, a goal Barton and everyone at the health center is constantly promoting.

“We want students to feel comfortable using the student health center,” said Barton