OPEN regularly promotes sexual health education throughout the Global University System. See below for some of our past programming and follow our Instagram to stay up to date on the latest programs!
Sex and Relationships Week
Sex and Relationships Week is dedicated to promoting healthy relationships and sharing sexual health information. Since 2023, OPEN has participated in Sex and Relationships Week to support learning, communication, and resources around these topic areas.
Sex and Relationships Week 2026 is Monday, February 9 – Friday, February 13.
2026 Events
Kickoff Tabling
Monday, February 9 | 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM | Curry Crossroads
Join us in Curry Crossroads to start off Sex and Relationships Week. Learn more about upcoming events and campus resources, pick up giveaways, and participate in activities related to conflict resolution skills.
Frisky Forum
Tuesday, February 10 | 7:00 – 9:00 PM | Curry Ballroom
Questions about barrier methods? Want to know where to get STI testing in Boston? Concerns about communicating your boundaries with partners? Answer these questions and more at the Frisky Forum! The event begins with a resource fair highlighting university and community resources, such as Planned Parenthood and Fenway Health. Next, staff from UHCS and OPEN will answer your anonymous questions live on stage. Come for food, giveaways, and more!
Valentine’s Craft and Chat
Friday, February 13 | 2:00 – 3:30 PM | Curry Indoor Quad & Pit
Drop by our Valentine’s Craft and Chat to make your own valentine’s for friends, color, write love letters to yourself, and more! While crafting, learn more about resources on campus and different ways to find community at Northeastern. Or stop by for free goodie bags and giveaways!
Community Partner Events
Looking for more opportunities to build community at Northeastern? Below is a list of events put on by other offices on campus that focus on community and relationship building.
Monday, February 9 – NUSHARE General Meeting: Cybersex
Monday, February 9 | 7:00 PM | CIE
NUSHARE is a student run organization focusing on sexual health advocacy. They meet on Mondays in CIE. On Monday, February 9th, they’ll be discussing Cybersex.
Follow NUSHARE on Instagram @northeasternshare
Wednesday, February 11 – LGBTea and Treats: Friend, Foe, Flirt Card Workshop
Wednesday, February 11 | 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM | Curry 174 (LGBTQA Resource Center)
In the lead-up to Valentine’s Day, make a card for your friend, foe, or flirt from 12-2 pm in Curry 174! Materials and snacks will be supplied, just bring your creativity and sweet (or salty) sentiments.
Hosted by the LGBTQA Resource Center.
Every Wednesday – LGBTea and Treats
Every Wednesday | 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM | Curry 174 (LGBTQA Resource Center)
Coffee and snacks from 10am to 1pm (almost) every Wednesday with occasional programming, such as book galleries, trivia, and meet-and-greets with other offices on campus. If you’ve always wanted to visit the Center but weren’t sure when to stop by, LGBTea and Treats is a great time to visit.
Hosted by the LGBTQA Resource Center.
Every Wednesday – Graduate Tea House
Every Wednesday through March 11 | 9:30 AM | Curry 240 (Programming Lab)
During the dark winter months, we invite all graduate and professional students to stop by CSC 240 (the Programming Lab) for free tea and snacks! We offer a wide assortment of caffeinated, decaffeinated, and herbal teas, accompanied by relaxing music as well as a pleasant atmosphere. Whether you want to grab and go or stay for a spell, all are welcome–just be sure to bring your Husky Card. Start your early morning off on a positive note.
Hosted by the Center for Student Involvement (CSI).
Thursday, February 12 – Kitchen Table Talks: Romance, Care, and Community
Thursday, February 12 | 6:00 – 8:00 PM | Curry 174 (LGBTQA Resource Center)
Valentine’s Day is coming up, and so is Aromantic Awareness Week! At Kitchen Table Talks, we’ll be cooking pad kee mao and talking about how social scripts around romance shape how we build community.
Hosted by the LGBTQA Resource Center.
Thursday, February 12 – Bienestar en las Relaciones: Empowering Healthy Relationships for Latine College Students
Thursday, February 12 | 6:00 – 7:00 PM | Latinx Student Cultural Center (104 Forsyth Street)
This workshop will empower Latine college students to build and maintain healthy relationships by exploring communication skills, boundaries, and emotional well-being within a culturally supportive environment.
Hosted by University Health and Counseling Services (UHCS) and the Latinx Student Cultural Center (LSCC).
Every Other Thursday – Kitchen Table Talks
Every other Thursday (next event is 2/12) | 6:00 – 8:00 PM | Curry 174 (LGBTQA Resource Center)
Everyone is welcome to our Kitchen Table Talks, always featuring a vegan, nut-free, and gluten-free entree, paired with conversation and community!
Hosted by the LGBTQA Resource Center.
Every Thursday – Hora del Cafe
Every Thursday | 3:00 – 4:00 PM | Latinx Student Cultural Center (104 Forsyth Street)
Open to the Spanish-speaking community at Northeastern, join LSCC staff and students for casual 1-hour conversations in Spanish, weekly. Each week is different and you’re guaranteed to meet someone new each time, all with one thing in common – Spanish speaking! Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and snacks provided!
Hosted by the Latinx Student Cultural Center (LSCC).
Campus Resources
Programs
Students can request sexual health programming through our office. For those on the Boston campus, we can offer pre-packaged programming supplies that include sexual health trivia, an example Frisky Husky order, and information cards on Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). For those in the Global University system, many of our programs also have a virtual component. Please email open@northeastern.edu to discuss collaborating on sexual health programming!
Sexual Health Trivia
This interactive trivia game tests participants on their knowledge of correct barrier method use, STIs and testing, consent, and sexual health resources (like Frisky Husky). This program is available to Resident Assistants as a pre-packaged program, and it can be hosted using our online Jeopardy-style version or our printed card version.
Sexual Health Tabling
OPEN promotes sexual health programming throughout the Global University System by partnering with health and wellness teams across the network.
On our Boston campus, OPEN partners with Husky to Husky peer educators to run sexual health tabling. We offer a sexual health trivia wheel where students answer questions to win prizes like free sexual health supplies or Frisky Husky stickers.
Sexual Health Bulletin Board
OPEN provides sexual health educational materials and information on resources and programming for RAs through a customizable bulletin board, available both digitally and printed. Each page is a standard 8.5”x11” sheet of paper. Below is more information about what is included in bulletin boards.
Each bulletin board will require the following sheets:
- Frisky Husky general flyer (one page)
- Wellness Vending Machine flyer (one page)
- Frisky Husky STI Testing Card (two pages)
- Sexual Health 101 Module (one page)
Customize your bulletin board with any of the following educational materials:
- Boundaries (two pages)
- Sexually Transmitted Infections (two pages)
- Barrier Method FAQs (two pages)
- LGBTQ+ Sexual Health (two pages)
- Alcohol and Consent (two pages)
Education
Sexual Health 101 Module
A brief module that explores the ways sexual health is a part of your overall wellness. This course covers information on sex, sexually transmitted infections, barrier methods, contraceptives, boundaries, and communication. The information and resources provided here can help you make healthy sexual choices now or in the future.
Consent and Sexual Health
Consent is important for any sexual activity, whether the context is a casual hook-up or an ongoing relationship. It is about clear communication with your partner(s).
Northeastern defines consent as “a voluntary, affirmative agreement to engage in sexual activity proposed by another; it requires mutually understandable and communicated words and/or actions that would demonstrate to a reasonable person agreement by both parties to participate in sexual activity. Consent must be freely given, without physical force, threats, intimidating behavior, duress or coercion. Silence, a lack of resistance, previous sexual relationships or experiences, and/or a current relationship may not, in itself, constitute consent”.
Additional information about Northeastern’s policy on Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment can be found on the website for the Office for University, Equity, and Compliance.
How do I know if I have consent?
You need to have clearly communicated via actions or words that you and your partner(s) are interested in the same activity. “Mutually understandable and communicated words and/or actions” can include reading body language to tell if your partner(s) is interested in what you want to do.
However, relying on body language alone is tricky because it may not constitute consent! Sometimes people misread nonverbal cues or assume their partner is interested, when really their partner is not consenting. For this reason, we encourage you to get clear, verbal consent by asking your partner(s) directly.
90% of Northeastern students report preferring that someone directly asks for consent to sexual activity.
(National College Health Assessment, 2024)
Ways to ask for consent:
- I’d really like to [describe sexual act]. What do you think?
- What do you want to do?
- What would be good for you?
- Can I kiss you?
- Would you like it if I [describe sexual act]?
- I had fun last weekend. Do you want to do that again?
If your partner responds with any of the following:
- Saying “I don’t know,” “I’m not sure,” “This isn’t a good idea,” “I just want to cuddle,” “I want to go to sleep,” “I should go home…”
- Clearly saying “No”
- Tensing up
- Hesitating
- Moving your hands away
- Turning away
…that means you do not have your partner’s consent! These are signs your partner isn’t entirely comfortable and you need to stop.
Who should ask for consent?
From the Title IX Policy’s definition of consent: “The initiator, or the person who wants to engage in the specific sexual activity, must obtain Consent from the partner(s) for each sexual act. Each participant may be an initiator at different points of sexual activity.”
This means any person, regardless of gender, can initiate a sexual act – and the person who initiates must get consent from their partner(s).
Consent can’t be given:
- By minors
- In Massachusetts, that means a person can legally consent to sex at age 16
- If someone is forced, threatened, or coerced
- If someone is incapacitated through the use of drugs or alcohol, regardless of whether consumption was voluntary or involuntary
“Incapacitated” means someone is unable to make clear and rational decisions. Some signs of incapacitation include slurring words, stumbling, vomiting, and passing out. Someone may be showing any or none of these signs and may still be incapacitated. If you or your partner have been drinking or using other drugs, we encourage you to wait until you are both sober to engage in sexual activity.
How do I say no?
You or your partner shouldn’t feel guilty for turning down sex and you shouldn’t feel pressured to do anything you don’t want to do. You can say: “No” or “I don’t want to tonight.” or “I don’t want to ____, but I do want to ___.”
It’s also about feeling safe and comfortable enough to communicate if something doesn’t feel good. You should be able to say “I don’t want to do this anymore” or “That doesn’t feel good, can we try something different?” without feeling threatened.
These videos from Planned Parenthood show how a conversation about consent can play out when your partner is very into something, unsure, or not into it. Learn more about communication with partners in our Sexual Health 101 module.