NDSU’s new safe sex material distribution program
Safe sex products can be delivered discreetly to your door.
When the term ‘Junk Mail’ comes to mind, it often conjures up images of coupon books, promotions or even old bank statements that are simultaneously thrown into the garbage without a second look. At North Dakota State, the term ‘Junk Mail’ has taken on a new meaning.
Funded by a grant from the North Dakota Department of Health, the ‘Junk Mail’ program was created. It is overseen and run by the Student Health Service, the purpose of the program is to “deliver safe sex materials to NDSU students living on and off-campus.”
“The program is actually quite recent, it’s been less than a year since we first launched ‘Junk Mail’ to NDSU students,” says Emily Hegg, the Assistant Director of Health Promotions. The challenge that many colleges face is exactly how to, “Provide both safe sex education and the accessibility of it, this is why we launched ‘Junk Mail’ so everybody (no matter your gender or sexual orientation) can get the supplies they need.”
‘Junk Mail’ works by having safe sex materials delivered right to the student’s door. The one thing the program capitalizes on is how “discreetly” they deliver it. The packages are brown, addressed to you, but beyond that, they do not show any indication that it’s from the Student Health Service or even, what’s inside of it. The ‘Junk Mail’ ordering process is similar to how you would order something online. All you have to do is visit the NDSU Student Health Services website and under the ‘Sexual Health” tab, ‘Junk Mail’ should appear (googling “NDSU junk mail” will give you the same result).
After navigating to the ‘Junk Mail’ page, the student then can click on the “Junk Mail Order Form,” which will direct you to login with a student ID. After that, you’re directed to the quick survey like order form where the student fills out their address and what they are in turn requesting. Options of packages that can be picked from are humorously titled, “U up?”, “My Roommate isn’t Home,” “No Glove No Love,” “Flower Garden,” or “Better Safe Than Sorry.” With the clicking of the submit button by the mouse, it’s done and the student receives free safe sex materials.
Accessibility is a goal that ‘Junk Mail’ has, there is even an option to “Bulk Order” which is for the purpose of providing places like residence halls, fraternities and sororities with a larger amount of safe sex supplies. After all, residence halls’ populations greatly outnumber a single student’s apartment. More information about bulk orders can be found under the “Sexual Health” tab as well.
“Every time we offer them, they go. Students don’t seem to be shy about taking them” says Emily Hegg. Things included in the packages are, “condoms, dental dams, lubricants and safe sex education packets.” If the student prefers not to order online, supplies can be found in the locker rooms at the NDSU Wellness Center and The Student Health Service’s waiting areas (also located in the Wellness Center).