Freshers’ Week is officially upon us, and while you’re stocking up on VKs and running round Ikea for cutlery deals, doctors are warning you not to forget one more essential item from the packing list – condoms.
Students are being urged to use protection this week as rates of gonorrhoea, a notorious STI that often doesn’t come with symptoms, remain alarmingly high in parts of the UK.
Though recent data shows an “encouraging” drop in cases, the numbers of people affected are still much higher than they were 10 years ago, reports the Mirror. And, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), students are particularly at risk, with 15 to 24-year-olds catching STIs more than any other age group.
The uni cities on the danger list
The University of Manchester via Pexels
Last year, England reported 71,802 cases of gonorrhoea, which is more than double the number a decade ago. In 2012, there were just 26,880.
London leads the way for infection rates by a huge margin, with Lambeth alone hitting over 1,100 infections per 100,000 people – that equates to one in 90 residents. The borough was followed by Southwark (958.3 per 100,000), and Hackney (866.5 per 100,000).
But outside the capital, five uni cities are topping the charts:
5 – Nottingham (203.8 per 100,000)
4 – Liverpool (216.6 per 100,000)
3 – Salford (246 per 100,000)
2 – Brighton (259.6 per 100,000)
1 – Manchester (271.4 per 100,000)
Students don’t actually have a clue about STIs
A survey carried out this month by Boots Online Doctor spoke to over 2,000 students across the UK aged 18-24. Unfortunately, it revealed some pretty significant gaps in knowledge when it comes to sexual health at uni.
The most common STI in the UK is chlamydia, but over a third of students (38 per cent) say they don’t have a clue what it is. When it comes to gonorrhoea, 35 per cent admitted they were unaware of it, and a quarter also don’t know about HIV or how the STI is spread.
Even worse, more than half of students (56 per cent) say they don’t always use a condom with a new sexual partner, yet 44 per cent think they’re unlikely to ever get an STI.
On top of this, stigma around sexual health is still strong: Over half of students would judge themselves for getting an STI test, and 30 per cent would judge themselves “a lot” if a doctor ever diagnosed them.
What the experts have to say
via Canva
Dr Megha Pancholi, the clinical lead for sexual health at Boots Online Doctor, has one clear message: Freshers’ Week is not the week to slack off on safe sex.
Though Freshers’ and uni in general is an exciting time to explore new experiences, Megha cited the importance of practicing “good sexual health habits, to reduce the risk of catching or spreading STIs.” Getting tested regularly and using protection, including condoms, “are our best defences”, she explained.
The clinical lead told The Tab: “Catching an STI is nothing to be ashamed of. If you find yourself in this situation, you should seek treatment as soon as possible and inform any recent sexual partners, so they can get tested and treated.
“STIs left untreated for a long period of time will increase the risk of longer-term complications.”
The doctor’s top five tips for students this Freshers’ Week are:
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Get tested regularly. Many STIs have no symptoms, so the only way to know is to get tested. This is especially important if you have a new partner or multiple partners.
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Use condoms every time. They protect against both pregnancy and most STIs.
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Know the signs. While many STIs are asymptomatic, you should still know what potential signs of an infection look like. Unusual discharge, pain when you pee, rashes or lumps mean it’s time to book a test.
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Talk about it. Open convos with partners about testing and protection make sex safer (and less awkward in the long run).
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Know where to get help. NHS clinics are free and available to everyone; you might just need to pay the prescription charge for medicines. Home kits are also available to be purchased privately, with Boots Online Doctor offering test kits delivered to your door.
The survey was carried out by Boots Online Doctor and Focaldata, a member of the British Polling Council, in September 2025, with a nationally representative sample of 2,097 UK students aged 18-24 years.
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