UF students will use colorful condoms to create accessories as part of an event to educate students about sexual health.
Eta Sigma Gamma, UF’s co-ed health education honorary, is hosting Sex in the Swamp with UF’s Student Health Care Center on Feb. 18 in the Florida Gym. Students can sign up in teams of up to three for the contest. They will be given condoms to create items such as scarves and purses, said Amber Dellich, a member of Eta Sigma Gamma’s planning committee.
Dellich, a UF health education and behavior sophomore, said the organization ordered about 5,000 non lubricated, colored condoms for the contest.
The event will also feature booths on health education topics, such as drug and alcohol abuse, the 20-year-old said. There will be a panel comprised of sexual health experts, who will answer questions regarding sexual health.
Team members who win the design contest will receive Fitbit wristbands, which monitor heart rate and the number of steps taken, Dellich said. Students who attend will vote for their favorite condom accessory. The first 200 attendees will receive a free tank top and sunglasses.
The SHCC is providing the condoms, tank tops and sunglasses, wrote Catherine Seemann, the Center’s communications coordinator, in an email.
Dellich said the event is going to inform students about health safety before Spring Break begins.
“That seems to be a time when a lot of students engage in high-risk health behavior,” she said. “Whether it be alcohol, drug use, sunscreen use. Any of those types of things will be relevant for Spring Break.”
She said the organization decided to hold the event after seeing a similar contest at the University of South Carolina. Students there used condoms to make entire outfits.
“It’s the same purpose,” Dellich said. “To promote safe sex in a unique way, and have more involvement with the students.”
Janke Mains, a UF psychology junior, said although many people talk about safe sex, it should still be discussed with students on campus. He said the Spring Break theme is a good way to remind student to use protection.
“I’m sure there’s lots of sex that happens on Spring Break,” the 20-year-old said.
He said the condom design contest is not something students will easily forget. Although he hasn’t registered, he said it was a creative idea.
“I feel like I could make a cute scarf,” Mains said. “But like, knit out of condoms.”
Follow Katelyn Newberg on Twitter @k_newberg
- Students must register their teams on the Student Health Care Center’s website by Jan. 29.
- Condoms will be provided to each team Feb. 1.
- Designs must be completed by 5 p.m. Feb. 16.
- Sex in the Swamp will be held Feb. 18. at the Florida Gym.
