THE ELECTRICIAN
Executive Producer and Host of Lovercall
THE ARCHITECT
Lovercall Producer
THE QUARTERBACK
Lovercall Host
Hello!
We are The Electrician, The Architect and The Quarterback: producers and hosts of the radio show Lovercall right here at Fredonia. Lovercall is an anonymous late-night talk show about love, relationships and more. Students who come on the show use a codename to protect their identities when discussing potentially personal topics, hence the codenames of the writers of this column.
“The Electrician” is a 21-year-old cisgender female student who uses she/her pronouns and is a senior at Fredonia.
“The Architect” is a 20-year-old cisgender male student who uses he/him pronouns and is a senior at Fredonia.
“The Quarterback” is a 19-year-old cisgender male student who uses he/him pronouns and is a sophomore at Fredonia.
On each episode, the hosts and guests of Lovercall participate in a variety of segments. The cast discusses a relevant news story, a date idea, a wacky game and a main topic for the episode.
Listeners also write into the show, either via Fredonia Radio’s Instagram, @fredonia_radio, on Yik Yak, or through the QR code provided in this column.
We typically answer the questions asked right here in this column, so be sure to look out for student stories and questions in future columns.
The show is now being streamed weekly on Wednesday nights from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m. on WDVL 89.5 on www.fredoniaradio.com.
This column runs in conjunction with Lovercall and can be found both in print and online at fredonialeader.org.
Date idea of the week
We hope to provide our fellow students with a fun and unique date idea in every column. These “date” ideas aren’t just for romantic partners — you could go with your friends, your classmates or you can even go solo for a fun activity in Fredonia.
In honor of Spotify Wrapped and Apple Music Replay being sent out to users, we here at Lovercall recommend taking some time to listen to each other’s music.
Taking turns, play a song from each of your top songs or artists from 2023. And for those of you that disagree with your top songs, feel free to throw in a couple that aren’t on your list.
The bonus is that you can do it anywhere and anytime — whether you’re sitting on the couch at noon playing Connect 4, or in the car heading to Denny’s at 1 a.m. for a late night grand slam.
For partners, this is a good way to learn about each other’s tastes and get more comfortable with one another. For some, music is incredibly important and can represent many deeply-rooted emotions, so taking some time to share that with someone else may be equally as important.
It shows trust and comfort within a relationship to open that door for someone else, and it may mean a lot to a person that you’re sharing.
Or who knows, maybe you also got some silly songs to share and can have a nice laugh about it.
And for those doing this solo, listening to some of those songs from your past can help show your growth since that time. Maybe you were a Slipknot fan that turned into a Swiftie, or maybe you didn’t change genres at all, both exemplify an interesting look at your self-discovery.
Safe Sex and Contraceptives
This past week, we covered an incredibly important topic on Lovercall.
We discussed different methods for safe sex and contraceptives, including how to properly utilize contraceptives.
We here at Lovercall believe that although abstinence is the only way to truly prevent pregnancy, this advice is not adequate for adults and college students going through this period of self-discovery.
Frankly, telling someone not to have sex does not provide any information and is not safe for someone who may not be informed about the risks of having unprotected sex.
First, it is important to discuss the various forms of contraceptives. Below is a list of the most common contraceptives used by people today:
Condoms
- Condoms are potentially the most common form of contraception.
There are both “male” and “female” condoms.
Male condoms refer to those used by penis-owners.
They act as a barrier between the penis and their partner’s genitals/other areas that may come into contact. Male condoms act to catch semen preventing the partner from being exposed to it.
Not only are male condoms used to prevent pregnancy as they catch any discharge, but they are also used to help prevent spreading sexually transmitted diseases.
These forms of condoms are about 98% effective.
It is important to remember to check your condom package for an air bubble to ensure it has not been pierced, ensure it is not expired and be sure to only use one condom at a time. They are not reusable.
For new condom users, we recommend Trojan ENZ condoms, which come in a blue and white box. These condoms utilize a water-based lubricant, which helps avoid any intense chemicals that may break down the condom, which could cause it to break.
Extremely importantly, we here at Lovercall do NOT recommend the Lifestyles brand condoms that can be found in Freddy’s Locker and other locations on campus.
These condoms are prone to breaking.
Female condoms, while less common, have a similar purpose as male condoms.
Female condoms are worn by those who own vaginas, but can also be utilized anally.
These condoms are almost like small pouches, and are inserted into the vagina before engaging in sex.
The condom then serves as a barrier, preventing semen from coming into contact with an egg.
Female condoms are less effective than male condoms, as they are only 79% effective.
Birth Control
The Pill
- The birth control pill is a hormonal form of contraception, which means that hormones such as progestin and estrogen are released, which prevents pregnancy.
An active pill is taken daily at the same time for three weeks, and then an inactive pill is taken for one week while the user ovulates.
To go on a birth control pill, you first need to talk to your doctor and get a prescription.
With most insurances, birth control pills are covered. The pill is 91% effective, as people often forget to take the pill daily.
Additionally, birth control pills do not protect users against STDs. “The Electrician” shared that while she does experience occasional symptoms from being on the pill, her experience has been overall positive, and she recommends it for those just starting birth control.
IUD
- An IUD, or intrauterine device, is a small, t-shaped object that is inserted into the uterus.
IUDs are inserted by a medical professional.
There are two major types of IUDs: copper and hormonal.
The copper IUD is made of copper and is inserted to help protect against pregnancy.
These kinds of IUDs may lead to heavier and more painful menstrual cycles, but protect against pregnancy for up to 10 years.
Hormonal IUDs are similarly placed on the uterus but release hormones to avoid pregnancy.
Hormonal IUDs also stay in place for up to 10 years. IUDs do not protect against STDs, but they are very effective in preventing pregnancy. Planned Parenthood estimates they are 99% effective.
Other Methods
- There are several other forms of contraception available. Be sure to talk with your doctor or a trusted person for advice about which methods may work best for you.
Resources
There are a multitude of resources available that have further information regarding contraceptive methods.
Below is a list of reliable and authentic websites that can provide further information.
Planned Parenthood:
https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/birth-control
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development: https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/contraception/more_information/resources
Center for Disease Control and Protection:
https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/contraception/index.htm