Research shows between 12 percent and 32 percent of college freshmen and sophomores own fake IDs. Those with Greek membership have the highest use of fake IDs. A direct correlation exists between young adults with fake IDs and the likelihood of binge drinking and getting arrested. If you are a parent offering guidance to your student heading off to college, these tips on a firm discussion centered on disapproval may be helpful: 1) Read the sourced information below. Links to similar studies are…

Your life will happen one way or another, so it's a good idea to take charge of its direction, and a life plan is the way to do it. Thousands of books discuss how to create a life plan. No matter your age, the purpose of a life plan is to capitalize on opportunities and avoid regrets. A life plan can be written for a month at a time or drafted to incorporate many years. Life plans help you maximize and prioritize possibilities, and they separate the possible from the improbable. (You probably…

Are you facing the loss of a close relationship, deciding it's not time to let go and end the pain and conflict associated with it? You may want to consider counseling support for this journey. The challenge of ending an unhealthy or toxic relationship often includes a cycle of holding on, letting go, retrieval, and the hope of one last try, followed by an even bigger letdown. You may face grief-life reactions such as denial, anger, and depression before acceptance. Counseling can help you…

Getting kids back to school and on a new schedule can be a tug of war without a little preparation. Here are some tips that stand the test of time:

• For the nervous youngster facing a new school or grade, walk through the schedule one week before school begins, visit classrooms, and get a lay of the land to reduce anxiety.
• If the school offers a pre-start, back-to-school night, attend it.
• Beginning a week before the start of school, test sleeping routines by having everyone in the family…

Everyone procrastinates at times, but if another nail-biter of a deadline looms, and you swore never again, here are a few intervention ideas. First, realize that procrastination is a natural occurrence. Your brain is designed to avoid pain, and work registers in your brain as pain. You might initially motivate yourself with anticipated positive feelings of completing your project early, but your brain is more conditioned to appreciate rewards that are right here and now. Hence, you…

Lonely? Overcome loneliness by asking whether its cause is temporary or it's lingering too long. Taking action is the best path to overcoming loneliness -- don't dismiss getting a short-term assessment by a professional counselor (through your Employee Assistance Program) for guidance and tips and to rule out depression, especially if you feel lethargic about creating change. Loneliness has two parts: the negative state of mind it produces and the circumstances you identify as the cause…

Don't come back from vacation this summer to find your house has been burglarized because you shared your personal travel news on a social media site like Facebook. It may be tempting to have your friends go along for a virtual ride and share your travels, but the following facts make social media posting risky: The person who burglarizes your home is likely to live in your neighborhood, and the average burglary nets over $2,000 within ten minutes. These two statistics also mean it's very…

If your workload seems to leave you with no time for fun and leisure, you may need better strategies for balancing work and life. Some pros recommend planning your fun first and obligating yourself to the leisure and recreational pursuits you enjoy, and then scheduling your workload. Practicing this strategy toward work-life balance will cause you to work more effectively, help you resist distractions that interfere with timely completion of work, and focus your attention like a laser on that…

Summer means new opportunities, places to go, fun events, and, unfortunately, increased risks for teens, who researchers say are more likely to take chances for sheer kicks. Why teenagers participate in more risky behaviors than adults isn't fully understood, but a phenomenon called the "health paradox" defines the problem: It's a period of greatest health, but it corresponds with a statistical peak of mortality. Risk taking, such as drug use, high-risk stunts, unprotected sex, fast driving,…