Ask The Sexpert

Dear Sexpert,

I went to McCosh the other day with what I thought was an eye infection or an allergic reaction of some sort. When I got there, the nurses asked if I had a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Why did they ask these questions? I personally found it a little invasive and unnecessary, but if there is a reason for it I probably would feel more comfortable about going back to McCosh in the future. — Awkward Questions

Dear Awkward Questions,

You are not the only person to ask why the McCosh nurses ask these questions, and perhaps it is time that this perennial Princeton question is addressed. The reason that you were asked if you had an STI or if you had been screened recently was that many STIs can present as an eye infection. This is beacuse STIs are transmitted via bodily fluids and often infect bodily fluids. Tears are a type of bodily fluid, and as your sinuses are in the eye area, eye infections can be caused by STIs. If you had said that you had an STI, then you would most likely have been given medicine to target the outbreak of the infection, rather than given eye drops for an eye-specific infection — such as pink eye — that you did not have. While this may have seemed to be an invasive question, remember that the McCosh staff are trained professionals who are there to help you. Their questions are purely to help in their diagnosis and treatment of you and to help you stay happy and healthy while on campus. — Sexpert

Dear Sexpert,

How can I ask my next-door neighbor to be quieter during sex? I'm trying to study in here! — Thin Walls

Dear Thin Walls,

This is another one of those college problems — people should be permitted to do as they please in their rooms, but as you have learned, the walls here are not soundproof in the slightest. There are a couple different tactics to pursue in regard to the noise issue. If you know your next-door neighbor, you could also talk to him/her one on one. To be discreet, it may be better to approach the noisemaker with the idea of mutual noise respect, i.e. "Sometimes you turn your music up too loud and I can hear it, can you please be a little quieter? Thank you." This way, you don't have to bring up the potentially awkward sex issue. If you don't know your next-door neighbor or don't feel comfortable bringing this up to them, there are other people you can talk to. Whether you are in a residential college or in upperclass housing, you can talk to either your RCA or DA and ask him/her to send out a dorm-wide reminder that the walls are thin and to please be respectful of other people's desire to have a quiet work or sleep environment. If this is unsuccessful, or if the person doesn't take the hint, your RCA or DA can also go and have a more personal talk with your next-door neighbor. Most people, however, are unaware that they are too loud in such situations, so break the news lightly!

If you're the loud one during sexual encounters to the degree that others can hear you, there are measures you can take to be quieter. One is just to be aware of the level of noise you are making and to try to keep it down. If this proves unsuccessful in the moment, you can also use a pillow or blanket to cover your mouth and help stifle the sound. But be careful not to suffocate yourself in this manner — it has happened — and be sure to tell you partner that you are not being quieter because you aren't enjoying yourself as much, but rather in an effort to be considerate to others. — Sexpert

"Sexpert" is written by a team of peer sexual health educaters and fact-checked by University health professionals. You can submit questions, to be published anonymously every Thursday, to sexpert@dailyprincetonian.com. Don't be shy!