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It happens: adults have adult fun, and sometimes that fun is no-strings-attached fun. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with a good old-fashioned one-night stand, so long as the adults are consenting and everyone is safe. After you’ve gone your own way, though, how do you take care of yourself?
Go to the Bathroom
This is one of the first things you should do any time you have sex, including a one-night stand. Sex can cause bacteria to move around, and peeing after sex can help ward off infections, like urinary tract infections (UTIs). UTIs are painful and often require a doctor to treat them. For women, one of the best things to keep everything working like normal is to nip off to the bathroom right after.
Birth Control
Hopefully, you and your partner were careful and made your spur-of-the-moment rendezvous a veritable after-school special in terms of safe sex. Beyond preventing STIs, safe sex keeps both parties from a commitment that lasts the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, sometimes people get swept up at the moment, and mistakes happen. If you’re not certain about the state of your birth control, there’s still time. Emergency contraception can pick up where your planning left off. Emergency contraception, or the morning-after pill, should be taken as soon after unprotected sex as possible. And if you’re still unsure or your period is late, it’s always good to see your doctor.
STI Check
STIs are one of the scariest aspects of the dating scene. If you’re having sex — planned, unplanned, monogamous, or otherwise — STIs are one of the things you need to check periodically. According to experts, a one-night stand can put you in danger, and some groups, such as anyone who identifies as LBGTQ, are even more at risk than others.
STIs present differently for different people and different illnesses. It’s hard to be on the lookout for symptoms or changes in your health as a signifier of whether you need to see your doctor. The best course of action for anyone sexually active is a routine STI check.
Emotional Self-Check
Sometimes a fling can be just the thing to put a little skip in your step. Other times you can walk away feeling like something isn’t quite right emotionally. After a one-night stand, there’s nothing wrong with taking an emotional inventory to make sure you feel good about yourself, your actions, and your choices. Introspection can help you keep to your goals and your chosen path; a self-check is the best way to make sure you’re okay. And if not, there are plenty of resources out there to help, from your best friend to your therapist. Like every other step in the process, a self-check will make sure you’re happy, healthy, and on to your next great thing.
