Dear distraught,

Has your friend's sister ever said or done anything mean to you personally? If so, you didn't mention it in your letter. Have you ever read student poetry? If not, I suggest you do. And I'm not talking about the stuff that made it into your school's magazine, though I'm sure some of that would qualify. Here's a place where you can find some good examples: The Teen Poetry Corner. After you realize that some people think they can write when they really can't, you might understand why your friend's sister acted the way she did.

To answer your question, you will make it through a week of vacation with your friend's evil older sister by being polite, standing up for yourself in the face of adversity, and not fearing the wrath of a cynical college student. You also might want to stop leading your friend on.

Dear Beth,

What color should my urine be, ideally?

- Pissed off

Dear Pissed off,

Your urine, as well as everyone else's, should be clear or very light yellow. It should not be consistently foggy or bright yellow. If it's bright yellow, it might mean you're dehydrated. So drink more fluids! If it's foggy, and if it hurts when you go, you might have some kind of UTI, or 'urinary tract infection,' and should therefore see a doctor.

Also, always remember to wash your hands with soap and water after you pee. Water alone isn't good enough.

Dear Beth,

I am a female student living with two male roommates. One of the roommates is like a brother to me. The other roommate is hot. But he's not just hot. He's also smart, considerate, and fun to be with. Lately, we've been flirting like mad. I feel like if he were to find a girlfriend, I would both be incredibly jealous and feel that she was not good enough for him.

Here's the catch: I have a long-term boyfriend. For the first two years of our relationship, I felt that he was my soul mate and that we would be together forever. Now, I'm starting to rethink things. I really like spending time with my roommate. But when I think about hurting my boyfriend, I become very upset. He knows about my crush on my roommate, but I don't think he knows how bad the crush has become.

Please Help, Signed,
Desperate and Confused

Dear D&C,

Your situation sounds eerily like one of my own experiences. What it comes down to is this: You must decide what is best for you at this moment. If saving your relationship with your boyfriend will give you peace of mind, contentment, happiness, and a renewed sense in your ability to stick with something, stay. If remaining in your current relationship will drive you insane because you cannot quench your desire for your fun and sexy roommate, leave. Thinking about either of these guy's feelings will just make it worse for you. You need to concentrate solely on yourself right now.

But at the same time, you need to act. Don't lead Guy 2 on while Guy 1 is oblivious. In the end, both of them will end up more hurt than you can imagine unless you make your decision fast.