The week after spring break, the Student Health Center sees a rise in sexually transmitted infections.
Dr. Peggy Spencer, a physician at UNM, said students should think twice before having unprotected sex over break.
The risk of catching an STI is something students should always be wary of, she said.
Jeremiah Vialpando said he was diagnosed with HIV in November 2004.
"I was a pretty promiscuous person," he said. "I always had multiple sex partners, and I always had unprotected sex."
He works with Hope's Voice, an organization to educate young people on HIV/AIDS prevention.
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"People think that HIV and AIDS looks a certain way, and people are pretty clueless when it comes to the disease," he said.
Vialpando said he didn't have any symptoms when he tested positive.
Spencer said it's common to not have symptoms with some STIs.
"Some of them can be what I call silent," she said. "But just because you don't have any signs of symptoms, or your prospective partner does not show any signs, does not necessarily mean that they are not carrying something."
Student Molly Maguire-Marshall said many students let their guard down during spring break.
"Partying and elicit sex - that is the stereotype of college kids on spring break," she said. "I'm not saying that is true, but people need to be careful and should be prepared."
Maguire-Marshall said many students aren't aware of the consequences their actions can have.
Spencer said that no matter what happens over break, getting tested is nothing to be afraid of.
"Some people get very nervous about being tested whether they have symptoms or not," she said. "One classic kind of nervous patient is someone who went out for spring break, partied too hard, did something that they regret, and they have a lot of guilt and a lot of fear around it."
Vialpando said it was difficult to wait for his test results.
"A lot of people don't want to know if they have HIV," he said. "Unfortunately, they would rather not know than to test positive."
Spencer said frequent testing is good, but prevention is the best way to avoid STIs.
"Testing doesn't prevent disease, and I think that is one common misconception here," she said. "People come in and say, 'Yes, I have risky behavior, but I get tested all the time.'"
Even if a test comes back positive, it's not the end of the world, Spencer said.
"From a doctor's perspective, I see many (STIs) as a disease - you take a pill; you get better," she said. "It has nothing to do with morality or cleanliness. You could have sex one time with one person in your life and get a disease. So, we just try and make people feel more comfortable. We try not to judge them."
Once the shock of the diagnosis has settled, it's important to learn how to deal with the disease, Vialpando said.
"HIV is a part of my life, and I deal with it," he said. "Ultimately, I know that this disease is going to be the one that takes my life. I'm just trying to do things to prolong my life."
The cost to test:
HIV/AIDS $20
Gonorrhea and Chlamydia $60
Syphilis $15
- The Student Health Center
