PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CASSIE TOMLIN/Arizona Daily Wildcat UA students film a mock, homemade pornographic movie. Some students say they not only watch pornographic films, but they also aspire to direct and to act in their own productions.

Plenty, according to a few visually promiscuous UA students

Daniel Norwood is addicted to pornography. No, he's not some creepy 40-something-year-old guy in the long beige trench coat, sneaking in and out of adult bookshops in constant fear he'll be recognized.

Norwood is simply your average UA mathematics senior who just happens to have an unusual hobby: immersing himself in porn, nearly on a daily basis.

He does insist, however, that his addiction is winding down.

"(It) used to be 24/7," he said. "Now I'll take the weekends off."

Since the latter part of the 20th century, getting off with the help of porn has never been easier. Additionally, with great thanks going to the all-powerful Internet, porn has also never been more entertaining or accessible for young people.

Norwood, 20, said he primarily watches Internet porn, specifically "gonzo porn," which is basically the weirdest, sickest, most outrageous porn in the known cyber-universe.

He enjoys vintage porn from the 1920s, porn with twins and something called "urethra sex."

"It's really horrible," Norwood admits.

Norwood is not the only UA student into strange porn, nor is he the only one who shamelessly admits to it.

Meghan Curry, a molecular and cellular biology sophomore, said she watches porn for "entertainment and pointers."

At 19, Curry has developed her porn palate a bit more than most of the 19-year-olds interviewed for this story and watches gay porn, including lesbian bondage porn, in addition to the standard heterosexual stuff.

"I watch everything except for scat," Curry said. "It's fecal porn."

What's the fuss really about?

Yes, it's all shocking. But even more shocking is the fact that Norwood and Curry don't repel people by watching porn; it actually helps them make friends.

Again, they're not alone considering many other students openly discuss porn as they would discuss a movie or some other favorite pastime.

"I'm a really sexual person, so I think it's just really interesting to watch," said Jamie Anhouse, an undeclared freshman. "It's entertaining; it's fun."

Joel Muraco, a creative writing sophomore, said he watches gay porn four times a week because he has "a very strong sex drive."

"It is a very good sexual release, especially if you're not with a partner or if your partner is not a very sexual person," Muraco added. "It's just a good way to get those urges out of your body."

Instead of using porn to enhance sexual urges, some students tend to view porn quite casually for its "artistic merit."

"I like porn, I think, because it's a pretty interesting art style," said Jeremy Miranda, a creative writing junior and "reformed" porn addict, "besides from the whole get-my-rocks-off kind of thing."

CASSIE TOMLIN/Arizona Daily Wildcat Linguistics junior Ryan Parks browses a selection of pornographic films at Fascinations Sensual Superstore on East Speedway Boulevard.

The first time

Like most avid and moderate porn viewers, Curry was first exposed to porn at a young age.

At 8, she was thrown for a loop when she and a friend found a gay magazine under the seat of her friend's dad's truck.

"We didn't know really what it was, but we thought it was gross and just put it back," Curry said.

"I never looked at his dad the same way again," Curry admitted.

As a military brat, Norwood spent six years of his young life in Germany and saw porn for the first time when he was also about 8.

Granted, porn is prevalent on primetime television throughout Europe, but Norwood got his first glance of porn from a pornographic videotape left in the VCR at a friend's house.

Ecology and evolutionary biology freshman Amaranta Kozuch, 19, said she "accidentally" watched porn for the first time at age 11 or 12, when her mother rented the 1969 film "Orgasmo," and somehow didn't realize it would contain pornographic content.

"She had no idea until it was the middle of the movie," Kozuch said.

Porn addiction

Of the social side effects of using porn, addiction tends to be the worst.

Miranda, 19, admits he used to be addicted to porn, but is now too busy to feed his addiction. Others don't get off so easily. Literally.

"I think it's a bad addiction 'cause you don't want to always have to want a porno to get off, especially when you have somebody with you," Kozuch said.

"If you asked me that about a month ago, I would have said yes," she said when asked if she was addicted to porn.

Even though she does get bored with porn from time to time, Kozuch said she is trying to curb her porn viewing.

Muraco, 19, said he has become addicted to porn within the last two years because, if he gets lonely, he simply watches a porno instead of going out to meet new people.

Self-esteem issues

When it comes to issues of body image and self-esteem, some college girls tend to fare better than some guys.

Watching actors in porn films gives people a false idea of what a partner should be like, Muraco said. He worries about his body not being tone enough, especially when he is intimate with a guy for the first time.

"Gay guys are a lot like girls," Muraco said with a laugh. "Last night, I wouldn't drink beer because I didn't want to be bloated today."

Anhouse, 19, said standards of beauty are forced onto young people by American society in general, not just in porn.

"It's the same thing as watching an attractive movie star, it's just they don't have their clothes on," Curry said. "You just have to realize that it's a different world with different standards."

Porn is "a self-esteem destroyer," said Ryan A. Parks, a psychology junior.

"Not all guys have 10-inch, thick, cut penises," he said. "Not all women are blonde with size QQQ breasts."

Porn in relationships

Norwood has what appears to be a normal relationship with his girlfriend of four years.

"We met in church," he said. "When my mom made me go to church."

His girlfriend did not know about his "hobby," but eventually discovered it when Norwood wouldn't shut up about porn.

However, Norwood said porn is not a part of their relationship.

"It's not like I make her watch porn. She makes me do all kinds of stuff that I don't want to do," he said, announcing his distaste for "chick flicks." "I gotta watch horrible movies and horrible TV shows.

"I wouldn't say my girlfriend's knitting improves or inhibits our relationship any more I would say so for porn."

Though Muraco's relationship status is "complicated," he said using porn both enhances and inhibits his relationships.

On an up note, Muraco discovered his partner likes to watch porn during sex, but his partner also gets jealous if Muraco watches porn without him.

"If he doesn't want to fool around, he knows I'll just go watch a porn instead," Muraco said. "It's destructive to the relationship."

Others believe porn usage in the relationship does more good than harm.

"I think it improves it," Curry said. "It's a good way to set the mood, if you're intimate. You can give the guy pointers, give yourself pointers. It's a good way to get ideas. Plus, it can be fun."

CASSIE TOMLIN/Arizona Daily Wildcat Pre-nursing sophomore Kristina Espinoza, left, and ecology freshman Meghan Curry hold porn-watching parties in the TV lounge of their residence hall.

The group thing

Watching porn with a group of people is also a popular pastime among UA students, particularly in dorms.

"It's kind of a good thing to watch in a group," Curry said. "Sometimes we get a group together and watch it, take over the TV room."

But if there is a large group watching, Curry said the porn is usually something very soft core.

Anhouse has also invited friends - male and female - over to watch porn as if they were watching the Super Bowl.

If I were a porn star

Experimenting with porn goes far beyond watching it. Some students have or are considering making their own pornos.

"I've thought about it because I have such a great imagination," Kozuch said. "I've definitely thought of scenarios. But I would never do it personally. I would direct."

Muraco recently made a "solo porno" and is now considering making a porno with a friend, just for the experience.

"I think it would just be fun and interesting."

Curry said she and her friends - including guys and girls - are planning to make a porno.

"It's gonna be a bread pornography, with bread," she said. "It's kind of an inside joke. We're gonna try to get it on (the Internet). College humor type stuff. Just to be funny, not a real pornography."

Fueling the need

To help meet the sexual needs of practically anyone, local sex shops have provided pornographic films, books, adult toys and other items for decades.

Fascinations provides the same and much, much more according to James Fisher, assistant manager of the store located on 3658 E. Speedway Blvd.

"We're not like a regular porn store," Fisher said.

This is because, in addition to providing lingerie, books, games, movies and adult toys, employees at Fascinations also provide sex advice.

"Our titles are either 'romance educators,' or 'romance specialists,'" Fisher said.

Fisher even brought his expertise, along with a lot of sex toys and books, to the UA last summer when he was one of three guest speakers for a Psychology 364: Human Sexuality course.

Because the store is close to the UA, 40 percent of customers are college-aged students, Fisher said.

Parks, 19, purchases and rents all of his pornos at Fascinations, and Muraco rented one porno from Fascinations on his 18th birthday.

Spending patterns vary, but equal numbers of couples, males and females equally make up Fascinations' regular customers, Fisher said.

"College-aged kids spend a little bit more, will buy the higher quality DVDs, but maybe not as many or as often," Fisher said.

Though guys typically buy DVDs and condoms, girls purchase much more, including lingerie, dongs (the politically correct term for "dildos"), and mostly, vibrators.

In fact, companies have specifically marketed some items toward college girls, including the "College Dong" and the "Study Buddy" vibrator, Fisher said.

"The toys are actually our biggest sellers," Fisher said.

Lubricants are also big sellers.

"Everything's better with lube," Fisher said.

Women tend to ask for more advice before purchasing products and are the larger purchasers of books, Fisher said.

"I think that probably has to do with the whole macho stigma," he said. "The guys are the ones who need them, but the girls are the ones who buy them."