RISE Blog | Raider, What Now?: Diving Deeper into STIs

Written By: Ashliegh Rigtrup & Xander Sanders, Peer Educators
Edited By: Funmi Arowolo & Nishita Amle
April 11th, 2025

Content Warning: This is not medical advice! We are not medical professionals, only trained peer educators. If you are concerned about your health, please talk to your doctor.

When you think about physical health, you may think of your diet or exercise regiment, but your sexual health is also an important part of physical health. You may have been told to use condoms and to get tested regularly, but why? Well, it’s to protect your health against sexually transmitted infections, a.k.a. STIs. STIs are often stigmatized and the best way to reduce the stigma is to start conversations about it. Let’s talk about a Texas Tech STI myth, the types of STIs, and how to reduce the risk of spreading or contracting STIs.

What Even Is Raider Rash?

“Raider Rash” is local Lubbock slang for when someone contracts chlamydia, gonorrhea, and mononucleosis (mono) all at the same time, which is a myth. The idea of “Raider Rash” came from the misconcepiton that there is not much to do in Lubbock besides partying and steamy nights. The reality though is that Tech has about the same rates of STIs as any other college campus. In the 2022 ACHA report, when asked if they had been diagnosed with an STI in the past year, only 1.1% of students reported having gonorrhea, 5.1% of students reported having chlamydia, and about 7.9% of students reported having mono.

STIs are common in America and according to the CDC, about 1 in 5 people have a STI at any given time. Those 1 in 5 people may not even know that they have a STI because certain infections can often present asymptomatically (without symptoms). In a Health & Discovery article from Ohio State University, they emphasize that “some people have minimal symptoms, or none at all” (Bazan, 2022). That is why getting tested for STIs often is vital! Depending on your lifestyle, getting tested at least once a year or once before every new partner is highly recommended not just by the RISE team but also by the CDC.

STIs can also be transmitted through all types of intercourse (anal, vaginal, oral, etc.). Some can also be transmitted through other means like sharing dirty needles or even kissing someone. However, it is important to know that you CANNOT get an STI from a toilet seat! In the UHealth Collective, they note that “bacterial and viral STIs cannot survive for more than a brief moment outside the body. So, the chances…are extremely low.” (Kantrowitz, 2023).

Now that you know about some of these misconceptions, let’s move on to what exactly an STI is.

Types of STIs

There are three types of STIs: bacterial, viral, and parasitic. To help you understand them a little more, we have created a table (below) to show you more information about each type of STI. Note that if “Raider Rash” was real it would be a combination of three different bacterial infections, which is not possible. Also note that this table is not a diagnosis, and if you have any concerns about your health, you should talk to your doctor.

Now you may be saying to yourself “None of those sound like any fun. How do I avoid them?” Let’s dive a little deeper and talk about it!

How Can I Reduce the Risk?

Besides complete abstinence, nothing is ever 100% effective or has a 100% guarantee. However, you can lower your risk of obtaining STIs through communication, regular and correct usage of condoms, and regular testing. It can be hard to have a conversation about one’s sexual health, but sitting down and having conversations with your sexual partners can lead to safer practices. 

Here are some tips to have those types of conversations:

• • Be blunt. Health is an important topic, so beating around the bush may cause confusion or may complicate the issue.
  • Talk about boundaries or what the other person needs to feel comfortable. One person may want to take more precautions than the other. 
  • An important part of building a healthy relationship (whether romantic or strictly sexual) is opening a line of communication where both parties can be open, honest, and avoid judging too quickly.

When it comes to using condoms, reducing the risk of obtaining an STI, one must make sure they’re not only using them regularly but also correctly to maximize the effectiveness. Condoms are the only form of birth control that can prevent both pregnancy and transmitting STIs. This includes dental dams and oral/flavored condoms. 

Here are the top tips to using a condom correctly:

• • Do not open the package with your teeth as it could rip the condom.
  • Do not store condoms somewhere hot or where there could be friction (like in a wallet).
  • Check the expiration date.
  • Use enough lube. Also use silicon-based or water-based lube, not oil-based.
  • Pinch the tip when putting one on to avoid rips at the top.

Let’s be honest, anything surrounding sexual health is generally uncommon to talk about. So, it might seem embarrassing to get tested or get treated for an STI. Yet it’s not likely you’d feel embarrassed getting treated for a broken arm or for the flu. Don't let embarrassment put your physical health at risk because getting tested can be just as simple as a regular yearly checkup. As said before, having an STI is extremely common and having no symptoms can also be common which is why getting tested regularly is important. The CDC recommends monogamous couples to get tested once a year, once every 3-6 months if you have/have had multiple partners, or before every new partner.

At Texas Tech and Lubbock, there are multiple places to get tested:

• On campus:
  • The Student Health Center
• Off campus:
  • ForHer Clinic for female students
  • Planned Parenthood
  • The Lubbock Health Department

More details for these resources are listed below. If any questions about your physical health arise, it is always best to ask a doctor to clarify. 

Wrap Up (if you know what we mean) 

To fight common myths or misconceptions about sexual health, it is important to know what a STI can look like, the different types, and how to protect yourself and your partner(s) through correct barrier methods and strong communication. No one is telling you how to live your life. No matter what kind of situation, it is advantageous to be armed with the knowledge to protect your physical health. And always remember to be safe and take care of yourself! 

Resources

• Student Health Center
  • (806) 743-2848 | studenthealthservices@ttuhsc.edu | Student Wellness Center, 1003 Flint, Lubbock, TX 79409
• ForHer Clinic
  • (806) 788-0500 | info@forherlubbock.com | 2309 Broadway, Lubbock, Texas 79401
• Planned Parenthood
  • (806) 696-3436 | 3716 22nd Pl, Lubbock, TX 79410
• Lubbbock Health Department
  • 2015 50th St, Lubbock, TX 79412 | (806) 775-2933

References

Bazan, J. A. (2022). 6 Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) a Person May Have Without Knowing It. Ohio State Health and Discovery. 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Which STI tests should I get?. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). About infectious mononucleosis (mono). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Kantrowitz, D. (2024). 10 myths (and truths) about sexually transmitted infections. UHealth Collective.

 

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