Trust Your Instincts in Odd or Difficult Situations

When something doesn't seem right, even if you can't put your finger on it, one of your best allies is your instinct—your "gut feeling." Your gut feeling might not help you guess the right answer on a chemistry exam, but it can help you assess an unusual situation.

If a person doesn't seem trustworthy, or if you're in a group that's doing something you think might be harmful, don't let things slide. Contact the authorities in your school if you think they should know about something. Remove yourself from a situation that feels unsafe. If you have a friend or acquaintance at school who seems unhappy and unable to function in a normal way, talk with a mental health counselor at your school to find out whether it's a good idea to seek help for that person.

Your intuition can serve you well if you listen to it.

Handling Homesickness when at College

Getting out of your old comfort zone—where you have friends, sisters, brothers, parents, pets and familiar, favorite places—and living in a new place, with new people, where nothing is familiar, can without a doubt cause homesickness. It's normal.

Finding new friends and new routines is the best way to get yourself out of the homesickness loop. For some people, that's easy enough, but for others, it can be more difficult.

If finding new friends takes you longer than the average, make an effort to get involved in things that interest you. There are usually lots of different types of organizations on college campuses. So it's a good idea to join one or more of these groups in addition to going to your regular classes. You'll be more likely to find people who have interests similar to yours, and you'll also have less time to feel lonely.

Staying in touch with friends and family is also helpful. Make phone calls and send e-mails. Put up pictures of your bothers and sisters, your friends, your dog or cat, your parents. Surround yourself with the people you love, and then go in search of activities and people you'll enjoy.

If the Teen Stress Starts Getting to You...

Adults sometimes ask themselves what the big deal is with teenagers and stress. "They don't have to support themselves, they just have to go to school and study! What are they so stressed out about?"

But students do experience stress, there's no question about it. To find out more about what stresses them out, what to do about it and when to seek treatment from a professional, read our current Topic of the Month.

Creating Healthy Boundaries with Roommates, Friends

Meeting new people can be one of the best things about going to college, but every now and then, there are roommates or friends who can be troublesome. Maybe they don't respect your privacy, or maybe they push you to join them at parties you're not interested in going to. Maybe they're into

If you're having problems like this, nip them in the bud. Ask yourself, "Am I setting healthy boundaries?" If you feel like people are taking advantage of you, or pushing you to do things you don't want to do, you need to assert yourself, because if you don't, the situation could become distracting.

If it seems like the problem is affecting your ability to study, or function in any way, talk a mental health counselor at your school. These professionals have seen so many similar problems they're highly likely to be able to give you sound advice for your situation.

Don't Think Dark Skin Protects Against Skin Cancer

It's true that dark skin contains more melanin than light skin, and melanin filters out more ultraviolet radiation. But that extra melanin doesn't provide the same protection as sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or more.

People who have darker skin sometimes have a false sense of security. But research has shown that Caucasians are less likely to have late-stage melanoma than African-Americans, Hispanics, American Indians and Asians. Caucasians also have a higher average five-year skin cancer survival rate than other ethnic groups.