Upon arriving at the Health Center, I was completely unsure of what to expect. How is a sexually transmitted disease test conducted? No one I had talked to seemed to have the answer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s most current study, young people, ages 15 to 24, had four times the reported Chlamydia and Gonorrhea rates of the total population of the United States. At least one in four college students have an STD; many students are unknowingly infected, according to the CDC.

With these statistics in mind, I believe it is important that all college students get tested. That being said, advocating that college students get tested is easier said than done. Sexually transmitted disease testing is critical to the maintenance of optimal health, but it is not widely understood by a majority of the college population.

The mystery, and in my case, fear, that surrounds the test is the ultimate factor in why most students don’t get tested at all. I thought that if perhaps the process of an STD test was unveiled, and students realized that it is not as scary, weird, or intrusive as they might think, more students would feel comfortable taking this extremely important test. To get a firsthand experience, I decided to go through the process myself.

The process began with a call to the Student Health Center, during which I scheduled an appointment. I arrived early to the appointment and sat in the waiting area. I was given a clipboard with the necessary forms to fill out; basic health questions that anyone has answered any time a visit to a health professional is warranted.

I sat in the empty waiting area feeling slightly uneasy. I began to zone out as the ticking of the clock above me lulled me into a relaxed state. I reminded myself how silly it is to be worried about a test as common as this, and thought about my plans for the weekend.

Finally the door opens, and a nurse enters the waiting room and calls my name. I stood up and followed her into a hallway. She had me stand on a scale, jotted down its reading, and we went into one of the rooms. I sat down and she asked basic questions regarding my sexual history and inquired about any symptoms that I might have. I had anticipated that this would be a severely uncomfortable situation, but strangely I was quite relaxed and felt fine answering the questions. I am aware of the confidentiality policy that the Health Center adheres to, and the friendliness of the nurse made me feel open to discussing any questions that I may have.

After we talked, I was informed about the blood test portion of the test. I endured the quick discomfort and moved on to the next and final step of the test, which is a urine sample collection. After the urine test, I went back into the room and the nurse informed me about the lab work, and when and how I would receive the results. The whole process was over in under half an hour.

As I walked out of the Health Center, I felt pleasantly surprised. I was expecting something much more intrusive and uncomfortable, and my experience was just the opposite.

I was glad to have taken advantage of one of the many health services that are offered conveniently on campus. I feel that more students should do the same.