Dear Long Beach,
I’m scared to death. When I found out I felt unclean and irresponsible that I put my body through a sickness. I was mad at my partner and didn't want to see him again. I want to tell you that I know you feel like it'll be alright, but it's not worth it to have an STD. Your body is more important than anything. I love you Long Beach, stay safe.

I'm Scared To Death

Dear Long Beach,
I’m a medical student so I know how to identify the symptoms, but I still can't face going up to a doctor and saying I have one. I feel embarrassed. I wish I could go back and tell myself that it's completely normal, and doctors are professionals and are trained to deal with diseases even worse than this, so it's not a big deal!