Use these.

Well, it’s back to school time again. Along with new teachers, new classes, and new assloads of work, we’re also going to be finding ourselves in a sea of new faces – which means one thing: fresh meat.

Whether you’re a freshman or a senior, college campuses everywhere will be packed with new people to party with, new people to study with, and yes, new people to have sex with. We all know the first few months of school are typically when the hormones of many kick in (this goes back to the “fresh meat” thing), and people everywhere are gettin’ busy. A lot.

So before we all pack up our stuff, say goodbye to free food and laundry and head back to school, here are a few STI facts to keep in mind when checking out all those new sexual prospects come September.

1 in 5 Americans are infected with an STI – That’s right, folks, 1 in 5. That means, in your class of 100, there’s a chance that somewhere near 20 people could be infected with some sort of STI. See now why it’s important to always use a condom?

The three most common STIs include Chlamydia, Gonorrhea and HPV. Luckily, many of us are eligible for the HPV vaccine which will almost completely eliminate our chance of contracting the forms of HPV that can lead to nasty genital and cervical cancers.

While most STIs can be treated with antibiotics and other medications, HIV, HPV, hepitits-B and herpes are incurable. While these diseases can be managed with the help of medication, you will (typically) carry the virus for life. Now, imagine having to have the “just so you know, I have herpes” talk with all of your future partners. Not so fun.

While most of us associate an STI with changes in our genitals (itching, burning, weird discharge), oftentimes there are no symptoms. The only way to be sure that you are STI-free is by getting tested regularly by your doctor – a simple routine that can be conducted at the same time that you get your annual PAP (or whenever it’s possible that you’ve been exposed to something). Women should be seeing a doctor for their annual physical/PAP smear once a year beginning when they become sexually active. If you do have symptoms, be sure to get to your doctor – your symptoms won’t go away just because you pretend they’re not there.

The good news is that most schools and health clinics offer free condoms to students and patients – some even offering a polyurethane alternative for those with latex allergies. We all know that condoms can be a little pricey, but stopping by the clinic and taking what you need is a perfectly reasonable alternative. Colleges go out of their way to make these resources available to their students because they know the importance of safe sex.

There is no excuse for putting your health at risk by having unsafe sex. Go out and have fun, but remember to get tested regularly and always, always, always use a condom.

But the same can be said for women. And I’m talking about more than landscaping.

There are some aspects of the manly lifestyle that we women should embrace. Mindsets and activities that will make us happier, healthier (well, mentally at least) ladies. So here are just a few ways that channeling our inner macho man can enhance our daily lives.

Boys night.
There has to be a reason why guys are always so relaxed, and why your boyfriend calls you after a guy’s night and doesn’t have aching arches and raccoon eyes. While we all love girl’s night out, and the stiletto dancing that comes with it, we could all use a more relaxing night once in a while. Get the girls together and head out to a bar, order a bucket of wings and some beers, and chat the night away. You might be surprised how much bonding (and relaxing) can be done in a big booth in the back of a dive bar.

Let em’ roll.
Things really get to us. When we hear that our friend commented on how ugly our dress was after we left, we give her the silent treatment for a week. When we get dumped, we hole up in our bed with a pint of ice cream and a box of tissues claiming we will never love again. Perhaps once in a while we should just let things roll off our backs like the male population. If they get dumped, they are out the next night on the prowl with the boys. And they could care less if Tony said their shirt was ugly; it’s just a shirt. Taking a cue from the guys: don’t sweat the small stuff.

Make him wait.
You text that guy you’re totally into from class and then spend the entire night checking your phone and justifying to your friends why he’s probably super busy and hasn’t had time to respond. Us girls are way too over eager – waiting more than ten minutes to answer him back is torture – but once in a while it might be a smart move to wait a day. Your heart skips a beat when you finally see a message in your inbox from him and, chances are, if you make him wait a couple days his heart will flutter too. Take a cue from the guys and make him sit by the phone waiting for your next call. Then – hook, line and sinker – you’ll be playing tonsil hockey by Friday.

Think with your genitals.
Women are emotional; it’s not our fault, it’s our genetic programming. But not everything has to be so complicated. Face it, you’re not going to marry the hookup from Saturday night’s party, so do as men do and enjoy it for what it is: a little physical pleasure. Even if you’re seriously dating someone, it doesn’t always have to be so serious. Drop the fight about him not calling last night and just invite him over for a quickie before class.

Just do it.
Men are impulsive. They’ll randomly go for a pizza at 4 am and they’ll drop their textbook to meet the guys for a beer. Many women, on the other hand, plan everything down to the minute. Of course we can’t meet a friend for some dinner in the caf. in 5 minutes – we’re studying from five to seven and then going to the gym. Take a heads up from the guys and drop what you’re doing once in a while. A little impulsivity makes life a lot more interesting and lot less stressful.

University of California scientists have gone a step further with the whole “pomegranate juice is totally healthy” theory. According to a study that tested “53 men with impotence problems”, the antioxidants in pomegranate juice (which “increase blood supply to the genitals”) helped nearly half of the study participants perform better in the bedroom.

Besides possibly helping dudes everywhere satisfy their mate in the bedroom, pomegranate juice has also “been associated with reducing the risk of heart disease and preventing prostate cancer.”

With all this great research behind it, why not buy some pomegranate juice for all the men in your life this year? (just block out whole better-than-Viagra part when it comes to your dad) It’s tasty, healthy, and has a festive red color, making it perfect for holiday stocking stuffers!

Need an extra incentive to start loving pom juice? Try out this double chocolate brownie recipe that’s bursting with pomegranate goodness!

Or, that’s what I would be saying if I was a dude upon learning about rubbot.com and their plans to design a revolutionary new sex toy aimed at men.

Hands-free orgasms! It’s like having a girlfriend — minus the girl! Which, depending on who you ask, isn’t always a bad thing.

The design kind of reminds me of those water snakes I had as a kid. They fold into themselves and move very fluidly…much like…genitals? Perfect! This is called the “Inch Worm Effect” and is effective at getting dudes off. And fast.

The guys behind Rubbot are looking for beta-testers too! Know a guy who’s in a rut? Be a pal and send the info along…at least you won’t have to hear about he’s not getting any for awhile.

Now, I’m not here telling you girls about this miraculous invention because your boyfriend needs one (although if you want to buy one for the two of you…more power to you!). At the risk of sounding like a brain-dead sex obsessive, I just feel that, much like taking a look though your guy’s porn collection, it’s important to know what makes him happy when you’re not around.

So when you are? He’s a little more than happy.