I’m warm and cuddled up in my bed as I look at the clock in large red numbers reading 4:12 a.m. I stumble down the stairs in my apartment and into the bathroom. I miss the last step twisting my ankle giggling to myself, “Well now there are two reasons for the Ibuprofen.” Last night was fun, going out after a closing shift at work, but feeling the after-effects of the night, not so much.

I know if I had been single I would have gone home with someone. This would not have been the best choice and got me thinking about safe sex, which includes making better choices with my drinking habits for the new year.

In the past I have had a high risk sex life that has come back to bite me in the ass more than once. Having a casual sex life can be safe when you put thought into your choices but this isn’t always easy to practice. This takes work.

Substance use is the first thing to consider in making better choices for safe sex. I made the decision not to drink alcohol but that only lasted a couple months. I like the flavors of red wine, Irish whiskey and many craft beers, so I try to be more conscious of my drinking habits. You could set a limit for yourself before going out. We basically stop being able to process things in a normal way when we are drinking, so here are some other helpful tips you might consider trying.

• Make sure that before you head out you have condoms in your purse or pocket. This is something that for a while was considered the man’s responsibility but everyone should show responsibility in their sexual choices, so take action and protect yourself with something that is fairly inexpensive.

• If you are looking for a female condom they tend to be more expensive but you can also get them for free at the Women’s Health Specialist. If you’re receiving or performing oral you should still protect yourself and be aware of the risks involved.

• Giving consent and talking about sexual history are major parts of safe sex. This isn’t the number of partners you’ve had, I am talking about sexual health history. If you don’t let your partner know your true sexual history, they can’t give full consent.

Things happen when having sex such as condoms breaking and other mishaps. You should also be prepared to tell your partner about the results of the last test you had. If you can’t have this conversation then pass on having sex.

If you do have sex and you aren’t sure who or what you might be rubbing up against, keep in mind that if you get herpes and you don’t have insurance, the cost of the name brand medication Valtrex, costs between $500 to $570 for 30 pills. You also should tell each person you become involved with that you have it, and be vigilant in not transmitting herpes to someone else. According to Herpes College Student Statistics,1 in 5 students in the U.S. has genital herpes. This should make us all more aware of our choices.

If you are happy with your prospective partner, have fun. You are both adults and can give consent to each other. Just because it’s safe sex doesn’t mean it can’t be really fun.

Have fun, remember going home alone isn’t bad and there’s always masturbation, it could even be better!

Joann Chevaillier can be reached at [email protected].