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Abstinence Works

By Sara Jamison

I am saving sex until marriage.

I'm not abstaining because my church says so, and I'm not abstaining because my parents said so.

I'm abstaining because I said so.

I want to save myself for my future husband, whoever he may be. And I hope my future husband is saving himself for me. There's many reasons why I am staying away from "safer sex" and embracing chastity. "Safer sex" doesn't guarentee safety at all -- you can still get sexually transmitted diseases, you still lose your virginity, and you can still get pregnant.

By abstaining, I am learning to respect myself and others, and can go on a date without worrying about what will happen later that evening if the chemistry clicks. By abstaining, I don't have to worry about getting pregnant. I don't have to freak out if my period is running late. I don't have to worry about being a teenage parent, and I can pursue my career without any setbacks. In fact, I'm not the only one that wants to keep myself in check, according to the website www.greattowait.com. The majority of high school students are NOT having sex!

Many adults agree that sex should be saved until marriage. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy released the results of a survey of teen parents, in which 87 percent felt that teens should be at least 16 or older before even dating one on one. 95% of the adults felt that teens should abstain from sex until they are at least out o fhigh school, while a study by Wirthlin Worldwide showed that 71% of adults feel couples should wait until marriage. Many adults regret sexual experiences they had before they were married. In fact, according to greattowait.com, a national study showed "those people most satisfied with their sex lives were married." There are so many ways to stay a virgin. Here are some helpful hints on how to keep a promise to yourself!

Be upfront with your date. Explain to them that you have made a personal decision to save sex until marriage, and if they don't agree to that, let them know how you feel. If your date is in it for sex, they'll more than likely take a hike. NO ONE has the right to force you into anything you feel uncomfortable about.

Set boundaries. Yeah, having a make out session in the back of your honey’s car is exhilerating, fun, and well, kind of part of being a teenager. But be in control of yourself, and don't let things get out of hand. A good rule of thumb is "below the neck, above the knees." That's a boundary. And to keep those boundaries in check, you need to know how to say "no"and mean it.

Never have sex with someone just because your friends think you should. Be firm, and explain that you have made your decision not to have sex, and they should respect that. If they continue to pressure you or make you feel bad about the decision you have made, maybe they aren't the best of friends...

Stay away from places where the temptation to have sex is great. Do things with a group of friends, like bowling or miniature golf, and avoid times when you’ll be alone for long periods of time. This will keep you from feeling like you need to do something to "fill time."

And don't tell me everybody's doing it. Because they're not.