TEENS: Thousands of seniors will be graduating from high school in a couple of months and many will be attending college in the fall — a big step! Most of you will be away from home and the watchful eyes of Mom and Dad for the first time. All the desirable traits your parents instilled in you will be tested. Your primary purpose there, of course, will be to study hard, maintain a high grade point average and learn as much as possible. Still, it's also important to make new friends and to have a fulfilling social life.

All schools have plenty of on-campus social events designed to keep students from leaving campus. But students do go off campus, primarily for one reason — alcohol. The peer pressure on college students to drink is overpowering.

The University of Colorado conducted a survey of 500 high school seniors in all 50 states and found that 29 percent admitted that they consumed two or more alcoholic drinks weekly, and 53 percent said they never consumed alcohol.

A Harvard University study of 10,000 college students found that 44 percent were binge drinkers (four drinks a night for females, five for males) and 37 percent admitted to consuming alcohol, but not bingeing. Only 19 percent said they abstained from drinking.

The sad fact is, alcohol and higher education go hand-in-hand; the evidence is conclusive. College administrators are well aware of this and are doing what they can to curb student drinking. Still, the primary responsibility lies with each individual student. So, you should just say, "No!" It may not be easy or popular, but the rewards can be enormous.

I'M TO BLAME, NOT MY BOYFRIEND

DR. WALLACE: I'm 16 and dating Brad, who is 17. I have an 11:30 p.m. curfew when we go out. Last night Brad brought me home at midnight. I was half an hour late since I asked Brad to drive by the lake. It was a full moon and I love to see the moon shining on the lake. Brad reminded me that it was late and I'd get in trouble with my parents. But I told him I really wanted to see the moonlight on the water and that it would be worth getting into trouble to see it.

Well, of course, when I got home, my dad told me to go immediately to my room and then he jumped all over Brad for keeping me out too late. All Brad said was that he was sorry and it wouldn't happen again. He never mentioned that I was really to blame.

After he left, I told my dad that Brad was innocent and it was my fault we got home late because I wanted to see the moon on the lake. My parents then said that it was Brad's responsibility to get me home on time since he was driving and he knew when my curfew was.

Who do you think was more to blame, Brad, or me? It's really important for you to answer my letter. My dad is thinking about not allowing me to date Brad anymore because of this. I'm hoping that you'll put the blame on me, not on Brad. — Amy, Louisville, Ky.

AMY: I'd parcel out 90 percent of the blame to you, 10 percent to Brad. I'm sure the moonlight reflected on the Ohio River is gorgeous, but you put Brad in a difficult situation.

Next time you want to challenge your parents' rules, don't have your date in the middle of it!

HE SIGNED HIS LETTER WITH THE WORD LOVE

DR. WALLACE: I have a pen pal in England that I got through my church. We have exchanged photographs and corresponded several times. I really enjoyed his letters, but the last one was signed, "Love, Sean" and this is really bothering me.

Should I write and tell him not to close his letters with "Love," or should I just ignore it as long as his letters don't become too personal? — Mindy, Rye, N.Y.

MINDY: Ignore the "Love" closing and continue to enjoy the letters from him.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. E-mail him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.