DEAR KELLY: I'm a high school graduate who just started college. In the past few years my parents have had economic issues to the extreme. We lost our house and my brother's car and they are in complete debt. My biggest fear is that I won't be able to pay for college and will end up like they are. How am I supposed to go to college without thinking about the idea of losing what I've been working so hard for?

– Concerned College Girl

DEAR CONCERNED: Slow down and stop panicking. College is an investment. You might have to go into debt to invest in your future. But this kind of debt is a good debt because it will help you move forward, gain better employment and give you more options in the future.

Before you do anything else, make an appointment with the college's financial aid adviser. This is a first step that you can't afford to skip. Based on what has happened to your parents in the last few years, odds are that you will qualify for college loans or grants.

The financial aid adviser is there to help you find the funds to pay for school. Their assistance and knowledge can be invaluable and should not be overlooked.

Do your research. Student loans are different than grants or scholarships. Scholarships are given without the expectation of repayment. Student loans have to be paid off after you finish school.

Some loans are called "subsidized" loans. Students who are eligible for subsidized student loans, based on family income, can take a Stafford student loan. The beauty of this loan is that the U.S. Department of Education pays the interest that accrues while the student is in college and for six months after graduation. If you qualify for a Stafford loan, it is a great deal and will no doubt help you with the amount of debt you incur.

Even after you get accepted to a college or start school, do not stop looking for a scholarship or grant. Things like your ethnic background, nationality and family heritage can be potentially beneficial.

Working part time and paying as much as you can along the way will help keep costs down as well. There are many options to explore if you have the perseverance and determination to get yourself through college.

DEAR KELLY: My friends are lazy but they are still my friends. We are in high school now and they all want to be my partner in class assignments because I do all the work.

Last year I almost failed history because one of my best friends completely dropped the ball on our huge assignment and did none of the work. I barely got it all done at the last minute and did not get the grade I wanted.

What do I do when my friends want to work on class things with me?

– DP

DEAR DP: There's a great story that illustrates this point well. It's about four people named, Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. One day Everybody was asked to do an important job. Everybody was sure Somebody would do it. Everybody knew, after all, that Anybody could have done it. But in fact, Nobody did it. Well, Somebody got angry about that, because after all, it was Everybody's job.

In truth, Nobody realized Everybody wouldn't do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody, because Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

My point is that you need to be an individual separate from your friends when it comes to school issues. Stop assuming they will step up when you know they are lazy. Don't let the lines get blurred when it comes to your academics.

If your friends want to be lazy and do nothing, don't go down with their sinking ship. Tell your buddies when they ask that you need to get good grades and need partners that will work together and not leave all the work to you. If they get angry, then I would question whether they are true friends or not.

You got burned once. Don't let it happen again on something as important as your schoolwork and your grades.

Write to Kelly Richardson at Teen Talk, The Sacramento Bee, P.O. Box 15880, Sacramento, CA 95852, or e-mail krichardson@sacbee.com.