Editor's note:  This is a reprint of Alyssa Fleck's article "Sex and the SUNY" for SUNY Plattsburgh's Cardinal Point.  To see see the original page click here. 

An orgasm is defined as the physical and emotional sensation experienced at the peak of sexual excitation, usually resulting from stimulation of the sexual organ, or as my best friend would insensitively describe it, "The most amazing feeling I have ever experienced."

Unfortunately, I wouldn't know.

For the girls reading this who are as blessed as my best friend (aka every girl reading this who isn't me), I'm sure you've felt bad for me for a whole two seconds and already moved on to making a list of things I must be doing wrong - I'm not hooking up with the right guys, not receiving quite enough oral, not masturbating enough, not concentrating enough or possibly concentrating too much. And for the guys reading this, post feeling badly for me, I'm sure you've already reassured yourself that you could be the one to "cure" me.

You're all wrong.

After countless sex positions, just under a dozen partners and almost five years of climax-less sex, I've done a lot of experimenting and heard a lot of advice - none of which has done me much good.

Originally I put the blame for my anorgasmia on the "unsuccessful" male, which I still tend to do from time to time when feeling bitter and resentful, but for the most part I know better.

My biggest problem is I don't know what I'm missing. I've come to realize I have a slight lack of motivation. Not to say I don't want to orgasm, believe me, but after a certain number of disappointing partners, I've stopped expecting to.

Going into sex pretty assured I won't be climaxing has made it way too easy for me to give up. I've gotten used to my orgasm-less sex and I've learned to enjoy it none-the-less.

Problem number two? I spend too much time concentrating on my partner's pleasure. I want to please, and I forget to allow myself to be pleased.

If only I could find a guy who shared that same problem, everything would be solved.

However, it turns out I'm not alone.

In a 2004 study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, of 1,749 randomly selected U.S. women, 24 percent reported having orgasm dysfunction causing a persistent or recurrent delay or absence of orgasm. Furthermore, in a number of sex-therapy articles and books, read in hopes to find out what exactly is wrong with my southern region, the conclusion has been that it is common for women in their teens and 20s to have difficulty climaxing.

The ongoing question, though, is why. According to Health42.com, proposed reasons have included lack of sexual education (nope), strong religious upbringing (definitely not), lack of strength in the woman's pubococcygeus muscle (uh, maybe?), past sexual abuse (fortunately not), impotence or early ejaculation in male partner (well…on occasion), and high levels of anxiety associated with sex (not usually).

Regardless of the reason, I've decided not to worry too much. Contrary to popular belief, it's not the end of the world.

My anorgasmia doesn't mean I don't enjoy sex, it doesn't mean I don't get just as turned on when Noah throws Allie up against a wall in "The Notebook," and it doesn't mean I've completely given up.

Being the optimist that I am, I guess it just means I have something to look forward to.

When the right guy - or tongue - comes along, I'm sure I'll be screaming with the rest of you.

Alyssa Fleck is the Associate News Editor of Cardinal Points, SUNY Plattsburgh's student newspaper.  To see more of Alyssa's work click here.