Liz (Elizabeth) Hill, 21, is now a virtual Sophomore at Washington University. A talented drummer and guitarist, Liz spends her weekends playing at local clubs and the occasional wedding. She has not yet declared a major, but is considering either Business or Communications. Her family is sure she'll be able to retire by age 35, but Liz is not quite as confident. (She'll give it 'till 40.) Liz enjoys swimming and long nature hikes (well, as far as you can go in web-space), but is embarrassed to admit an aversion to bicycles.

Sooner or later it's going to happen, if it hasn't already. You're going to attend a party or find yourself in a situation where drinks are being served. I'm talking about anything from lite beer to mixed alcoholic drinks. I can already hear you saying, "C'mon Liz, there's nothing wrong with a beer." And you're right - there is nothing wrong with the beer, but there is something wrong with the way we handle, use and think about that drink. Hey, I'm not just talking about teens here.

To all the "Chris's" out there saying "I wish there was someone I could talk to", you need to know that sometimes there isn't. In the real world, you may sometimes feel as if you're alone, which is too bad, since this topic may be the most difficult one you'll ever have to deal with in your teen years.

You're late. At first you figure it's just nerves. After all, you took precautions. I mean, you were always careful, except maybe that one time... So you buy one of those home pregnancy tests. You sneak it into the house and spend one crazy, long night reading the instructions over and over again. The next morning, your entire being becomes fixated upon that unmistakable, red POSITIVE circle sitting at the bottom of a plastic tube. For the first time in your life, you understand the full meaning of the word "panic".

It's true. More than half of all marriages end in divorce. Probably half the kids in your class have only a mom at home. But knowing that didn't make it any easier when your dad walked out. It's not fair. Your Mom and Dad couldn't get their act together and you have to suffer. Maybe you even think that you could have done something to stop it, or, when you're really feeling down, you might even think that it had something to do with you. It didn't. First, I'll set you straight about that one and then give you some advice on how to get through this tough time.