Over 100 students participated in The Rocket’s survey regarding their experiences and opinions on sex, consent, romance, love and relationships. This year’s sex and love student survey revealed many varying opinions regarding several topics, but there was resounding agreement on several other topics.
Given that the majority of participants were most likely SRU students, 85% of the 107 participants are ages 18-22. All classes were almost equally represented in the survey, with the majority (36.4%) being seniors.
However, not all genders and gender-identities were as equally represented: 78.5% of participants identify as cis-gender (your gender identity matches your biological sex) females. Similarly, not all sexual orientations were represented equally. Almost 80% of respondents identify as heterosexual, 15.8% identify as bisexual or queer, and less than 5% identify as gay, lesbian or pansexual.
Of the 107 students who responded, 46.7% are in relationships and 25.2% of those relationships have lasted 18 months or longer. The majority of participants (50.5%) are single. Two respondents are polyamorous or in an open relationship, and one person stated that they are living with their partner.
When asked if they would ever consider an open relationship and why (or why not), 87 of 107 participants said they wouldn’t. An overwhelming number of responses said they wouldn’t consider it because of jealousy or religious beliefs.
One particular respondent who is currently in an open relationship said, “It seems great, yes — the sex, the benefits, and the non-dramatic stuff about relationships — but long term, it really sucks.”
The majority of participants (64.5%) agreed that love is more important than sex, but 32.7% agreed that both are equally important. Out of the 107 participants, 55 agree that it’s also important to experiment sexually during your college years.
Over 70% of respondents first had sex between the ages of 15 and 20, while 20% of respondents are still virgins. An overwhelming number of participants said that they’re first time wasn’t great, but a fair amount said they’re first time was special or good. A few respondents stated that their first sexual experience wasn’t consensual.
One participant said their first time was “confusing. We were both virgins in high school who didn’t really understand our bodies.”
Another respondent had a different experience, saying, “It was very sweet. We had been together for three years already, so we knew each other really well. He just made me feel very comfortable, always reassuring me.”
A large majority of participants (78.5%) said their sex lives are either great or alright, while 21.5% said they’re sex lives are not that good or terrible. Out of 105 respondents, 56 are having sex at least once a month, and 24 are either virgins or abstaining from sex.
Many questions on the survey involved matters of consent. When asked if a person who is “very intoxicated” can give consent, 80.4% of participants said no, 16.8% said “it depends” and 2.8% said yes. Almost 65% of respondents said a person has to say a verbal “yes” for sex to be consensual, whereas 17.8% said you don’t need a verbal “yes” for consent.
When asked if a person needs to say the words “no” or “stop” to not consent, 71 respondents said no, 30 said yes and six said maybe. An overwhelming number of participants (96.3%) agree that a person can withdraw consent at any time — one person said a person cannot withdraw consent.
Participants were also asked about the different forms of protection they use. 56.9% said that they use some form of birth control, such as oral contraceptives, IUDs or birth control implants; 31.4% said neither they nor their partner use birth control; and only 11.8% said they don’t personally use birth control, but that their partner does.
Out of 96 responses, 52 said they use condoms for protection from STIs, and 26 do not. 94.1% of participants said they have never had an STI, 2.9% said they have, and 2.9% said they’re not sure if they’ve ever had one. When asked if they disclose their sexual history (including STIs) to potential partners, 80.6% of respondents said yes, 11.2% said no, and 8.2% said they sometimes do.
Out of the 107 responses, 66 said they currently use dating apps and a majority of them are on Tinder, Bumble or Hinge.
Only 5.6% respondents have cheated on a significant other, but a fairly large number of participants (43%) have been cheated on. 51 respondents said they have both been ghosted or have ghosted someone else, but only 22 have neither ghosted someone nor been ghosted themselves.
60.7% of respondents do not believe that romance is dead in this generation, whereas 17.8% said they do believe so.
When asked if they believe in love at first sight, the responses were almost pretty even across the board: 35.5% said no, 27.1% said yes and 37.4% said they weren’t sure.
Participants define “love” in very different ways. A few respondents provided the dictionary definition of love, whereas others provided more personal answers. One respondent said love means “a mutual support and commitment that can branch off into romantic or platonic love.”
Another participant said love is “when you have butterflies in your stomach constantly. You are thinking about that person day and night. The first thing you think of in the morning and the last thing you think of before you go to bed. You see past their biggest flaws, and don’t even mind them because you care about them so much.”
A large number of participants agree that honesty, respect, loyalty, trust and kindness are a few of the most important qualities to look for in a significant other. Most participants had varying “types” of partners they typically vie for, but quite a few said they don’t necessarily have a physical type.
When asked how they know they love someone, a fairly large number of respondents said they “just know” or it “feels right.” One participant said they’re never really sure if they know. Others had varying responses.
One participant said they know they love someone “when they are the first one you want to tell good news to.”
Another participant said, “You have a deep connection with them and are willing to fight for the relationship.”
Respondents said they would do some relatively crazy things for love. One particular participant explained that she was prepared to change her life as she knew it, saying, “I was ready to put my college plans on hold for a guy who said he wanted a future with me because his life plans at the time were going to take him across the country. I was willing and ready to uproot my life and go with him if he asked me to.”
When asked about relationship “deal-breakers,” an overwhelming number of participants included answers like lying, cheating, being disrespectful, being closed-minded or prejudiced and abusing substances such as drugs or alcohol.
A lot of respondents who are currently in relationships said they were hopeful about their future with their partners. One participant said, “I honestly see it lasting forever.”
Others weren’t so hopeful. Another participant stated that they don’t see their current relationship lasting very long, saying it’s “more like a situationship, it’s not looking great. Hoping we can figure things out at some point.”
