UW recently debuted a new reproductive health vending machine in the basement of Odegaard Undergraduate Library. The machine contains pregnancy tests, generic-brand emergency contraception, ibuprofen, and Benadryl, providing students with accessible sexual healthcare while begging the questions: do I take ibuprofen before or after I finish? And, is the Benadryl for me or the baby? 

When asked why there were such limited forms of contraception in the machine, ASUW responded,   “We want to help ease the financial burden of emergency contraception, but we still believe shame is a fundamental part of sex. If you want a condom you’re going to have to look the 7-Eleven cashier in the eye like an adult even though you both know that thing is probably just going to end up in the pocket of your jeans in the washing machine.” 

The vending machine is conveniently located just one floor below the new single capacity study pods that were placed in Ode in September. The pods were designed to give students privacy for Zoom meetings or other activities that also may require privacy. 

In response to excitement from students, the university wanted to stress how incredibly separate these two new additions are. 

“They only fit one person anyway,” said the Odegaard representative. “The only way you could fit more than one person in there is if…” he said, dropping his clipboard and sprinting out the door. 

The study pods have a time limit of 60 minutes, but when we asked a nearby student what he thought, he responded “I only need 4.”