The Ubyssey (University of British Columbia)

VANCOUVER (CUP) — We know the feeling: it’s 12 a.m. on a Friday night, you’ve had a couple of beers with your friends, and suddenly you get a tingling feeling. You look around and everybody looks a little bit better, and something starts speaking to you. Maybe it’s just a small voice in the back of your head saying, “Hey baby, it’s business time. Business hours are open.”

Maybe this voice is you actually talking out loud, in which case you have a bigger problem on your hands.

Whatever your situation, the fact is you’re one step away from using some variation of a “Call Me Maybe” lyric as a pick-up line in the hope that it will lead to a scenario that makes your private bits happy.

But before you let your nether regions act as your compass, consider the consequences you might have to face in the morning. Weigh your options, know the risks and make your choices accordingly.

And then go ahead and get down.

The object of your desire may seem irresistible at the moment, but taking them home or going to their place is a risk that you may not be fit to evaluate after consuming alcohol.

If you do decide to proceed, be sure to let your friends know where you’re going.

This seems like a no-brainer, but when things get going, two people will rarely see the absence of a flimsy piece of latex as a reason to halt all engines. But throwing caution to the wind and forgoing protection can be a huge, life-changing gamble for both parties. As University of British Columbia student Jesse Olson put it, “Wrap it until you’re in a committed relationship, definitely.”

If you already feel lonely, stressed out or insecure, there is a good chance that having sex with a stranger will only add to your already-full emotional plate the morning after.

Engineering student Ian Campbell offered some good advice: “Make sure, before you have sex with someone, that you really do want to have sex with someone. Make sure it’s not something you’re going to regret later for whatever reason.”

But if you’re simply young, horny and adventurous, feel free to explore and satisfy your sexual cravings without guilt or shame. Just do your best to stay away from the “Call Me Maybe” pick-up lines.

—
Photo: Geoff Lister/The Ubyssey