"Every time if I go in, they ask if I've changed sexual partners or how long it's been since my last ejaculation," says Seth*, a sophomore, "which can be kind of strange at first." Strange indeed, it would seem, since "they" are Seth's employers - except that Seth's work takes place at California Cryobank, a sperm bank located between Harvard and Central Squares. Seth is a sperm donor- an occupation many might find out of the ordinary for a college student. But in fact, Seth first came upon the position after seeing an ad in the Daily.
Responding to the ad was only the first of many steps toward becoming a sperm donor. The screening process includes a background check, an elaborate questionnaire, an exhaustive family history, blood tests, genetic screening and a physical.
In addition, "they test your sperm to see if it's potent enough," Seth says.
"It took a couple months of screening and qualifying tests, but then I finally made the cut," he adds.
After the screening period, Seth finally received a congratulations e-mail informing him that he had passed the tests.
But California Cryobank's tests weren't the only questions Seth had to face. He also had to sort through his own misgivings about becoming a donor.
"It's a really unique kind of job," Seth said. "I thought it would be a little strange at first having kids possibly that you don't know about."
Seth took the question to his parents, who eventually supported his decision to become a donor.
"My parents actually are okay with it, but they kind of had the opinion that they didn't know if they would be able to do it themselves - pass on genes to people you don't know," he says. "But they support me in doing it."
According to Seth, the people in his life have been generally positive about his decision.
"Most of my friends think it's a really cool job to have," Seth said.
Additionally, the hefty paycheck doesn't hurt: Seth receives $75 per "donation." Since donors are required to visit the bank two to three times per week, this adds up to a substantial weekly wage.
"At first I was just shocked at how much money they were willing to pay for this," Seth says.
While he has only been providing donations for only a little over a month due to the long qualifying process, which he began in December, Seth says that he "enjoys the job."
He did, however, admit that his first time visiting the bank was a little worrisome. "I do want to say that my first experience in going there I was a little apprehensive because the place you have to go to is an unlabeled building, and you have to punch a code in the door," Seth says. "It's a strange place to go if you've never been there before."
The unlabeled building might have turned Seth off to the job, but the company's concern for privacy and precise screening were reassuring.
"They are very meticulous," he says. "The little form I had to fill out about my height and weight and eye color I had to do at least five times because it wasn't neat enough or something like that."
Privacy is crucial for the company.
"They make a big point of not making it known where you're from," Seth said. "They don't want people to know how to find you. You write your birthplace as 'United States' - nothing any more specific."
Seth has not had to write a personal biography for potential customers to read, although he says "they do take a short recording of your voice [for potential customers to hear]."
"The whole idea of it is really weird," Seth says. He laughs, and then says, "I don't know why I decided to follow through with it."
For now, though, Seth will continue his unusual employment.
"I'm OK with it [now], after thinking about it for a little while," he said.
Due to the sensitive nature of the subject, this individual's name has been changed.
