So you're chillin' with your man. Just watching a movie, enjoying a drink, and maybe subtly grinding yourself against him and stroking his … and BANG! This evening is going from chill and drowsy to hot and heavy. You've got his attention and he's standing at attention.
Boner, woody, hard-on, pitching a tent, stiffy… Whatever you call an erection, they happen. You should know about them whether it's your own parts getting excited or your partner's.
What is an erection? An erection is a physiological reaction that typically happens when your brain says it's time to get it on. Due to an interaction of the psychological, neural, vascular and endocrine systems, the penis gets hard and swollen. This occurs when the corpora cavernosa, tubular structures in the penis, are filled with blood.
How big is big enough? According to the Kinsey Institute of Indiana University, the average length of an erect penis is between 5 and 6.5 inches and typical penises range between 4 and 5 inches around, also called its girth. And make sure not to judge a man's size too harshly when he's, well, flaccid. What an awful word. Anyway, men whose flaccid penises appear "small" typically increase in size by 100 percent when they get an erection! That's some serious compensation.
But does size really matter in the sack anyway? First of all, remember that your partner probably isn't going to sneak out a ruler and measure your junk mid-romp. So unless you have a significantly smaller or larger penis than average, the odds of your partner being able to estimate and judge your exact size seems pretty unlikely. Second, don't forget it's more about the motion of the ocean than the size of the waves! And lastly, the average length of a sexually aroused vagina is four inches, and the g-spot (the most sensitive part of the vagina) is typically located about an inch or two in. So as awesome as your 10-inch dream penis may seem, it sounds like a little bit of overkill to us.
Where should it be pointing? You might notice that in porn, it seems like every guy has a perfect 90-degree-angled erection, pointing straight ahead of his body. In reality, this isn't always the case. Some point to the side, some curve and some are pointing toward the floor. Each one is different, so you just have to find sex positions that work for the direction your little soldier tends to salute.
How long does it last? On average, the length of time most guys can be continuously erect is about 30 minutes. Of course, this can vary depending on the intensity of the stimulation, the length of foreplay, recent ejaculation, etc.
What is erectile dysfunction? According to FamilyDoctor.org, "Erectile dysfunction is when a man can't get an erection to have sex or can't keep an erection long enough to finish having sex." Although erectile dysfunction (ED) is usually thought of as a problem for middle-aged or older men, it affects many college students as well. A variety of physical and emotional factors, such as stress and anxiety, can cause ED or make it worse. If you're worried that you may have ED, talk to your doctor about it! It's totally normal in college-aged men.
In short, erections are pretty great no matter what they look like. Those of you who worry a lot about penis size — both guys and girls, we've heard it all — have hopefully learned that size isn't everything. If you have a penis, the most important thing is that it's healthy and you know how to use it. That's not such a hard concept now, is it?
(P.S. We're not sorry for all the puns lately. Never sorry.)
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Alison Williams is a sophomore majoring in English, and Sarah Gottlieb is a sophomore majoring in psychology. Williams can be reached at Alison.Williams@tufts.edu and Gottlieb can be reached at Sarah.Gottlieb@tufts.edu.
