It’s there in the morning, it’s there during the middle of lecture and it’s the last thing on most people’s minds as they’re nodding off to sleep.

Sex.

Thoughts and signs of it seem to be floating about everywhere, no matter how guarded or chaste one claims to be. Whether it’s a raised eyebrow, a clenched lower lip, a penetrating stare or the sensation of blood racing through one’s veins, there is something significant about the sound and the fury of every primal urge.

And at Syracuse University, where libido is as apt to wax and wane as the seasons, many students find that a vast majority of their actions are governed by that powerful three-letter word.

‘When they say guys think about sex every 5.2 seconds, it’s definitely true,’ said Jacob Bartholomew, a junior public relations and sociology major. ‘It’s biological.’

Once considered purely a perfunctory process for ensuring the survival of the species, sex is now often considered a necessity akin to eating, drinking, sleeping and other demands of the flesh.

‘There’s something inside of us that makes us want to copulate,’ said Lauren Port, a sophomore acting major. ‘Look at priests who are supposed to abstain but don’t … even babies can get a hard-on.’

Social beings by nature, humans are in constant interaction with members of the opposite sex. In order to get ahead in the college dating game, however, students must learn how to harness their powers of sexual prowess in order to achieve personal goals. Even in the absence of a sexual objective, the simple projection of sensuality is enough to spark a potential partner’s libido.

‘(Sex drive) entirely influences the way you deal with whoever you’re interested in,’ said Jeanne Segovia, a sophomore political science major. ‘When you get to high school you’re surrounded by more experience, and you want to be just like that.’

With an understanding of the various psychological, environmental and biological factors that make the world go ’round, it becomes possible to read others’ subtle cues and discover the inner sex fiend that every college student is hard-wired to be.

The Ins and Outs of DesireSex drive is an expression of hormones specific to male and female reproductive systems, said Joseph Fanelli, a sex therapist and human sexuality professor. While men start producing ‘mass levels’ of testosterone during puberty and for the rest of their lives, women only produce spurts of estrogen at certain time periods, Fanelli said.

The disparity between male and female hormone levels often leads to stark differences between periods of sexual prime and the preferred frequency of sexual intercourse.

‘Females definitely have a sex drive, but you have to uncover it,’ Bartholomew said. ‘It’s almost like an onion – you have to push it hard enough and take it slow.’

While men are easily excited by the image of a voluptuous beer babe, women often search for personal connection and arousal on a psychological level.

‘Men tend to need to feel physically close to you to be emotionally close to you, and women tend to be the other way around,’ Fanelli said.

Another factor that plays into sexual receptivity is the cyclical change of hormones within women’s bodies. According to the American Pregnancy Association, women are most approachable during ovulation – the time when they are most fertile. During ovulation, women have been known to be not only more receptive to sex, but also more competitive and inclined to wear less clothing, says handbag.com, a Web site for women’s sex tips.

Some women appear to have more inhibitions about sex, students say, because of the double standards encouraged by media and society. Sophomore acting major Ida Clay said women should be able to talk about sex as openly as men, but many are worried they will be considered trashy if they do.

‘One of my friends was asked if a guy went down on her, and she got really quiet,’ Clay said.

The Birds and the BeesMany of the mating rituals practiced by humans can be linked to those used by members of the animal kingdom. Several techniques, such as the release of pheromones, conspicuous body signals and the pretense of lifelong companionship are ways in which libido is triggered within their biological systems.

For example, after much prodding from a male, a female giraffe will urinate so that her partner can test it to see if she is in oestrus (ovulation). Among beavers, a female will initiate sexual intercourse by secreting an oily substance called castoreum. At mating time, the female beaver also releases a scent to stimulate the male.

According to alt.com, a Web site for alterative lifestyles, pheromones are present in sweat, skin and hair. The chemicals are detected by a sensor that is part of the nasal system but is completely independent of smell. Like the queen bee, which releases pheromones to assert her dominance over other females and attract drones within the hive, Brittany Oman sprays herself with Clinque Happy Heart before a night out on the prowl.

‘I definitely put on a different perfume at night than at class,’ said Oman, a sophomore acting major. ‘I just wear body spray during the day.’

The most highly-sexed animal, incidentally one of Homo Sapiens’ closest relatives, is the chimpanzee. In addition to oral-genital play and mutual masturbation, female chimps in oestrus will sometimes engage in sex up to 20 times a day. In many cases – like that of the giraffe and the beaver – the male initiates sexual activity. This situation is familiar to humans.

‘It’s a guy’s job to initiate sex, but a girl has to say yes or no,’ Bartholomew said.

All Systems GoAlthough their furry counterparts have mastered the art of seduction, college students are still learning how to bring lovers to their knees. While learning by experience can be a frustrating process, many students find fun in mistakes made along the way.

Clay said she took the initiative this summer with an attractive co-worker after suffering through a long romantic dry spell. During a dance, she pulled him aside and said, ‘I know what I want tonight and I know I can give it to you – can you do this?’ Clay added her request was fulfilled.

Bartholomew said that these types of aggressive qualities make him burn for sexual attention.

‘At this part of my life, I want a girl who’s assertive – my sex drive would increase tenfold … that’s so hot,’ he said.

Besides displaying qualities deemed attractive by the opposite sex, some try tangible objects – aphrodisiacs – as a way to rev their impulses into overdrive. Zinc, a chemical found in raspberries and strawberries, is commonly touted as a libido-enhancing element. A new study conducted by American and Italian chemists revealed oysters, clams and mussels contain aphrodisiac properties.

‘My friend from last year used to wear a chocolate/strawberry scent – it was very successful,’ Segovia said. Other students admitted to feeding their significant other strawberries, like sophomore acting major Jim Moerlein, who enjoys spreading hot fudge and whipped cream on his girlfriend’s body.

The college experience is brimming with opportunities to experiment, but without exploring the options of one’s active libido, it may be impossible to stem the tide of an insatiable sex drive. To allay the pangs of sexual hunger, students say one must take initiative.

‘For girls, it’s what you say, not what you do physically,’ Bartholomew said. ‘If a guy takes a girl on a date and he is really romantic, she will be turned on. It’s about the overall experience.’

Published on September 11, 2005 at 12:00 pm