Alex Palmieri – News Writer
Jazmynn Jakubczyk, graduate intern for the Wellness Center, said GYT is essential and all students should get themselves tested.
“This is just to show students that there are resources on campus,” said Jakubczyk. “If they don’t want to go to a doctor’s office, they can come somewhere that is convenient on campus.”
The testing that was offered at Granoff Wellness Center was for free and it always is. This is offered several times a month. Jakubczyk said nobody sees the forms the students fill out aside from the people who work for the Center. All of their information wont be seen by anybody else.
“Students can also be here for anything it doesn’t have to just be for testing,” said Jakubczyk. “You can come here if you’re sick, if you have a cold, if you’re not feeling well, any of that stuff.”
The GYT is meant for students to feel comfortable even if they are scared to get tested. Jakubczyk said since she was an undergraduate, the Granoff Wellness Center has been conducting the GYT, so it has been an ongoing event for awhile. She said this is good for students because they can always be mindful about their wellness.
“We try to do one every month of the semester,” said Jakubczyk. “Our last month is in April.”
Adelle Zocher, undergraduate intern in the wellness center, said the idea of GYT is to try to normalize what students may think is abnormal. She said GYT is more than an event; it is a theme.
“Get yourself tested for so many reasons such as knowing your status, open communication with your partner is also important to sexual health. There is no shame in coming to be tested.”
Zocher said if a student does fear that they do have an STD to not worry, they are always there to help.
“We are here to keep everyone happy,” said Zocher. We also know statistically speaking that college students do have sex, so they can be at an at-risk population.”
She said one of the most important things is to encourage students to get tested even if they do not think they have anything. Zocher said she wants all students to have a normalized behavior coming into get tested because they are there to help all students.
“We still want you to come get yourself tested,” said Zocher. “Even if you’re not having sex, you can still come to get tested, it’s a good idea to just know your status.”
Madi Csejak, sophomore English education major, said that having the GYT on campus is always a smart idea. She said there might be students who do not have the opportunity to do testing outside of campus and it is good that Southern offers this type of testing.
“It’s cool that the school provides it on top of all the other resources,” said Csejak.
Csejak said she encourages everyone to get tested no matter what the case is. Since she was a peer mentor before, Csejak said everything is private and they do not try to make you feel unwelcome.
“You shouldn’t just go get tested because you think you have something,” said Csejak. “You should go and get tested because it is the right thing to do.”
Photo Credit: Alex Palmieri