Sex can change your life.

Unprotected sex can turn your life upside down.

Elaine Pasqua who has spoken across college campus for 15 years said she has seen it radically change students’ lives.

“I have seen many students who have altered their life direction because they did not make responsible choices,” she said.

She quoted one stargazing statistic: “25 percent of all people under the age of 21 in the U.S. are infected with a sexually transmitted infection,” she said.

Pasqua spoke candidly with students in a program titled, “Sex and Excess: Surviving the Party.”

This interactive lecture challenged students to tackle their own behavior choices involving alcohol abuse and unprotected sex.

Pasqua effectively outlined the consequences of safe sex and the relationship between high-risk drinking and sexual assault.

“I believe that some students are aware of the risk of their behaviors, but many are not,” she said.

Pasqua’s goal was to teach students that one inconsequential decision could change their life directions and goals.

“I want to teach (students) to party responsibly and with respect for one another,” Pasqua said. “I combine the topics of high-risk drinking and sexual responsibility because they do tend to go hand-in-hand.”

“The interactive exercises are extremely important and I am known for these exercises,” she said. “They get students out of the seats moving around and it puts them in real-life situations. Many have told me that they remembered me because of these exercises and that they did have an impact on them.”

Even though high-risk behaviors can interfere with having a successful college education, understanding the impact can create a safe campus, she said.

“Students can reduce the high-risk drinking. You can also teach students how to look out for one another, how to keep each other safe and also when to call for medical attention,” Pasqua said.

Instead of telling students not to party or drink at all, Pasqua provided options for safe alcohol consumption.

“I am a realist,” she said. “I know what college students do and I know what I did in college. You’re not going to make a difference when you tell somebody don’t do it, but if you tell them how to do it safely and how to look out for one another, you can have a much more positive impact.”

Sometimes students get caught up in the moment while partying and forget about the consequences to the choices they are making, Pasqua said.

Students after the event praised Pasqua for her non-judgmental approach to a rather sensitive topic.

“I was worried about going to this event because I didn’t want to feel uncomfortable, but Elaine did a great job making all of us feel comfortable,” junior Linda Redmon said.

“It was a really eye-opening and fun event. It is possible to engage in drinking and still be successful in college.”