A Second Chance At Life: Abortions on College Campuses

The moment you think that your life is over.

At 8 a.m., you find yourself on the floor hunched over the toilet of a communal bathroom of your dormitory building. At that very moment It all makes sense. The sensitivity of your smell, the nausea, and the tenderness of your breast.Thoughts of that one night, with that one guy and our reckless decision to have unprotected sex. . Expected to be able to take care of a child when you`re only but, a child yourself. Nobody to call, no financial stability, and no support. The choice that has the potential to ultimately change a woman`s life forever.

Armani Robinson, a sophomore at Frostburg State University found herself making that ultimate choice. “When I found out I was pregnant I didn`t know what I was going to do, I just knew that I couldn’t blame anyone but, myself.” Feeling completely overwhelmed with her options, Armani entered panic mode. “I was at such a low point, I couldn’t possibly be able to care for a child, I didn`t want this thing in me anymore.”The hardship that young women go through when it comes to whether or not they want to continue their pregnancy is unimaginable. There are other women just like Armani that find themselves in this predicament and with being a student some can`t even afford to get the procedure. “When I reached the clinic there were protesters all in front of the building, I had to enter through the back of the building, when I got to the back I had noticed there was a man following me as he`d yell to me that I`d go to hell for what I am doing.” 

Like most students her age, Armani has goals and aspirations. Having to incorporate a baby plus, the nine months leading up to the delivery of the child this was not her in plan. How can she bring something into the world, whom she already knew she could not care for? This decision to terminate her pregnancy was something that she knew she just had to do. Unlike, Armani a freshman at Bowie State T. Galloway decided to continue out both her education and pregnancy. 

“Yes…I knew it would be hard but, if this is in God`s plan for me I cannot question it.”  “Yes…I knew it would be hard but, if this is in God`s plan for me I cannot question it.”  Being 18, raising a baby, and finishing out her semester those were her goals. “When I first found out I was pregnant; I was looking to get an abortion.” She did not come from a household where that was acceptable but, her parents were able to understand her position on it. “Sex in general wasn`t something that was openly discussed in my house, so finding out after my first time of engaging into intercourse… I thought why me?” Why me? The two little words that come to mind when a young woman finds out she is pregnant. Away from her home, friends, and family. Sent to college with the trust of their parents to make smart decisions and get her education. Only to find out she`s 18 and pregnant. “ I got to the abortion clinic and I was all propped up on the table but, I could not bring myself to follow through with the procedure.” There it goes again… The ultimate choice. She knew how it would look to be waddling around campus or to family events. She knew she would feel ashamed but, T. also knew that she could. T. Galloway is now a senior at Bowie State University. Graduating this upcoming December with Honors with her son on her hip.

In a 2008 study, 1 in 5 young women experience an abortion before they`re 25. About half of the women are attending a college or university. Most college campus faculty feel it is in the best interest of the school to shield the students of what is going on in the real world. In the real world abortions are happening and they are happening on the campus. Darlene Smith, Director of the Frostburg State Brady Health Center has been tracking referral data for 12 years and has seen a common trend in the students who she`s referred to local agencies.” Almost every student that I have spoken to or given a positive pregnancy result were not on any form of birth control of using contraceptives.” On average the Brady Health Center would refer 5 or 6 students a year to the Hagerstown Reproductive Health Service Agency.

Each year Frostburg State University is presented with a National College Health Assessment provided by the American College Health Association. According to their data, Frostburg State has .8% of students whom have had vaginal intercourse within the last 12 months report they`ve experiences an unintentional pregnancy. Compared to other universities across the nation, the percentage increases to 1.2%.These are real numbers with real meanings however, you don’t hear much about them. You don`t hear much about what Brady Health Center offers other than the annual flu shot.

Norfolk State University, offers sex information workshops twice a semester. The workshop provides their students with before, during, and after sex care. The students receive pamphlets with hotlines to call for information, contraceptives, and clinic referrals local to the area. Workshops provide both female and male students with the tools they need post-operation. Frostburg also provides students with counseling and contraceptives. The universities are implementing these workshops because, they see the trend. Campus health centers are fighting to continue programs like these to help educate students. They would not continue to give out free samples or information if it was not a topic that should be discussed. Other opinions may circle that abortions should not happen depending on your views religiously and politically however, at the end of the day… They are.

Though, every young woman`s experience with making that ultimate choice is different the decision to make that choice is still common. On university campus where students are in the prime of their lives. They are experiencing their first taste of freedom and with that freedom gives that sense that they are adults now. At the moment you turn 18 you are considered an adult but, are you really? You`re an adult without a job or ability to take care of anyone else but, yourself. To the young women in college they`re expected to make adult decisions.

Although, the number of abortions on Frostburg State`s campus have decreased in the last 12 years after the Affordable Care Act. Instead of 5 or 6 abortion referrals a year the University is down to 1 or 2. Since recent political shifts abortion has become one high climax of political conversations. College and universities should jump on the train and have these conversations.