As we covered in last year's Unscrewing Ourselves month, understanding sexual pleasure isn't just fun—it's crucial. Sex can be ecstatic, joyful, and very, very enjoyable when done right; done wrongly, it can be painful, traumatising, and just plain uncomfortable. Women and LGBTQ people in particular have been screwed over by conventional sex education when it comes to understanding our own sexualities and bodies. That's where our How To Sex column comes in.

We’ve spent the year creating guides to help you explore your body in the most pleasurable and safest ways possible. Are you worried about losing your virginity? We’ve got you covered. What if you're the more experienced one, but you're worried about taking your partner’s virginity? We have that covered, too. Are you an LGBTQ person looking for non-heteronormative sex tips that don't suck? You're in luck. If you’ve aced the beginners stuff already and are looking for more intermediate play (figging or sounding, anyone?), we've got some kinky guides to new fetishes that might just change your life.

Whatever fresh new horrors this year may have visited upon us, the bedroom remains one place where you can switch the lights off (or leave them on, whatever you're into) and focus on yourself and your pleasure (and your partner's, if they're there too). As we dim the light on 2018, read these pieces to figure out how you can up your sex game for the coming year.

To have great sex, you need to be having sex in the first place. However, having sex as a newbie can be intimidating, awkward, and not the most pleasurable experience in the world. It can also be amazing, if it’s completely consensual and safe and you feel 100 percent comfortable with the person that you’re with. We created a all-bases-covered guide to losing your virginity, including lubin’ up and what happens after sex.