Greetings friends! It is me again, your favorite Editor-in-Chief here to tell you all about the SEX. Just kidding, well kind of. Mostly I was going to talk about some common misconceptions about sex and I guess maybe a little bit of advice from someone in a long-term, long-distance relationship.

Now I am not an expert by any means so I am getting my information from the world wide web. However, if you want to talk to an expert, you are in luck. Here at CWU we have Dr. Jill Hoxmeier (or as we call her, Dr. H) to answer all of your sexual health questions. If you have any questions about sex, sexual health or health in general send her an email and she will answer your questions.

For those who have been at CWU for a while, you may have noticed that Dr. H’s column no longer resides in the Scene section where it has for the last year or so. This is because she hasn’t been receiving any questions. So send them in, flood her inbox and help us bring back our beloved Dr. H.

Anyways, back to the sexual misconceptions (plus some extra advice).

Sexual misconception 1: Sex is great exercise. Some people believe that having sex burns a lot calories, however that is a myth. According to Dr. Aaron Carroll, 30 minutes worth of sex could burn about 80 – 150 calories but per studies that timed 500 men from Europe and the U.S. most men only last about 5.4 minutes. And the time that your heart rate actually goes up is even less.

Sexual misconception 2: “Pulling out” is an effective method of birth control. In a Daily Nexus article, a newspaper from the University of Santa Barbara, there is still a high probability of pregnancy. This is due to the likelihood that the man will release sperm even before his orgasm or even as he is pulling out. However, it does apparently work better than nothing but the best form of birth control is still abstinence (not having sex at all). Of course, this is not for everyone, so if you choose to have sex then please make sure you are using a condom or at least birth control, this can help you avoid pregnancy and can prevent you and your partner from contracting STDs.

Sexual misconception 3: Females can only orgasm through penetration. This is a misconception that a lot of people, including myself believe. The idea is that women can only achieve orgasm through vaginal penetration. Of course this false, there are several ways to achieve an orgasm that don’t rely on penetration. One way is clitoral stimulation, according to a Bustle article, around 80 percent of women reach their climax this way. Try using your fingers, or have your partner help, or get geared up with vibrators. Another way is by hitting that elusive G-Spot, this can be difficult to reach but with positions that lend themselves to deep penetrations it can be hit.

Also, on the subject of female orgasm, remember that foreplay is important. Take the time to explore your partner’s body and let them show you what they like and what gets them going. That way your romantic encounter lasts longer and there is more time for your girlfriend to reach her climax since it takes about 20 minutes for a female orgasm.

That is my two-cents on the matter of sex but if you have more questions please send them to [email protected]. And from both of us we promise that your questions are anonymous and that they will be treated with respect.