DEAR HARRIETTE: I have a friend who means well, but she sometimes says things I take offense to. She will make comments about what I'm eating if she doesn't deem it healthy, and she has told me I could lose a few pounds. She doesn't say it to be malicious, but how can I remedy this without causing drama? She is becoming a broken record.

I have a bit of a weight problem, but I recently started a fitness routine with a trainer, so I'm on it. I would appreciate encouragement rather than constant critiquing. -- Feeling Fat, Jackson, Miss.

DEAR FEELING FAT: Congratulations on taking steps to become healthy. The best thing you can do for yourself is to claim a healthy lifestyle and then maintain it.

This is a lot easier said than done. It requires discipline, focus and consistency. I wish you the courage and conviction to stay the course.

Meanwhile, enroll your friend as a cheerleader. Assure her that you are paying attention to your health, and reveal your new fitness plan to her. Share how excited you are about developing this discipline. Ask her to support you, then describe what support looks like to you. Be sure to tell her that you prefer she not scrutinize your food choices, and that you are uncomfortable when she criticizes you.

DEAR HARRIETTE: My mom signs me up for things without asking me. She recently signed me up for a program that will require me to take two days off of a prospective job and stay in a hotel away from home. I told her I didn't want to do it, but she just ignored me and said she knows what's best for me. I'm legally an adult, yet she's treating me like a child. (I do still live at home, and I think that's why she feels she can tell me what to do.)

How can I let her know that I can make my own decisions about whether or not I want to do something? -- Babied, Lake Charles, La.

DEAR BABIED: You need to have a heart-to-heart talk with your mother in which you share with her your hopes, dreams and plans. Tell your mother that you are grateful you are welcome to live in the family home as you begin your life as an adult, but that you want her to begin thinking of you as an adult.

Tell her that you have been working hard to determine how you spend your time. Signing you up for a program without your blessing, however well intentioned, was not respectful of you. Assure your mother that you appreciate her interest in your success. Ask her to support you by talking to you and engaging you in ideas about your future rather than jumping in and making decisions for you.

Please know that it can be challenging for a mother to recognize that her child has become an adult and should make his or her own decisions. You are in a transition period. When you move, it will be easier.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I feel like I am addicted to the Internet. I do everything on the computer -- surf the Web, watch TV and movies, listen to music, even interact with my friends through Facebook, Skype and instant messaging. I don't want to become a couch potato, but the Internet is so important to my life and the lives of most of my friends that it is almost as if I don't have a choice but to use the computer a lot.

How can I limit my computer usage without falling behind socially? -- Plugged In, Flint, Mich.

DEAR PLUGGED IN: I have a revolutionary idea: Use the Internet to invite your friends to meet you at a place where you can physically be in one another's company. Make the activity appealing so that your friends will be intrigued enough to show up. Once the event is successful, it will be easier to get people to come out for another activity.

Essentially, you will be reminding people how rewarding shared, face-to-face experiences can be.

Additionally, I recommend that you ration your time on the Internet. Decide that you will step away from the computer for social encounters, for rest, for chores and for you-time independent of it. I believe your social contacts will be curious about why you aren't as plugged in as before and seek you out. You may win bigger than you can even imagine.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a high school senior, and I plan to attend a four-year university in the fall. I am supposed to be designating my preferred housing option now, including whether I want a roommate. At my school, if one requests a single room, he or she will probably get it.

I am tempted to ask for a single because I would appreciate the space and privacy. However, nearly all freshmen live in doubles or triples, and I am afraid I will be missing out on the quintessential first-year experience if I don't have a roommate. Is it worth sacrificing the convenience of a single? -- Future Freshman

DEAR FUTURE FRESHMAN: The good news is that you probably don't have to have a roommate all four years, since as a freshman you are being given the option of a single room. (Many colleges and universities require freshmen to have at least one roommate.)

Since you are intrigued by the social experience of welcoming a roommate, I say, go for it. Be aware that you may have a broad range of experiences -- from fun and exciting to frustrating and boring. Savor them all. Then, when your sophomore year comes, you can decide if you want to share again or go solo.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have a friend who is active on Facebook -- always updating her status, writing on friends' walls and posting photos of her activities. A lot of the times, the photos she puts up are of her at parties and other events. I am sure she would not want a family member or employer to see some of these pictures, but she evidently hasn't really thought about this, as she continues to post unsavory pictures of herself.

Frankly, I don't care what she does in her free time, but I don't want her to get hurt because she put a bad picture on Facebook. How do I suggest that she take down these pictures without sounding like I am judging her? -- Paranoid, Kalamazoo, Mich.

DEAR PARANOID: The best way to be a friend to this person is to be honest and upfront about your concerns. Tell her that you understand she loves to use social media but that you have learned employers surf the Internet to learn whether potential employees have the desired scruples and moral fortitude.

The reality is that what people do in their spare time DOES matter. Everything you do matters to your life and the quality of experiences that you can enjoy. That means that how you document what you do is key to contemplate.

Naturally, everybody makes mistakes sometimes. However, I would strongly suggest to your friend that she remove any questionable material from her Facebook page and, more, that she consider curbing any actions that may be considered unsavory.

If your friend thinks she must keep questionable images and comments posted, suggest she restrict access to "Friends" only. But let her know that even with restricted access, someone can take a screen shot and share it with others. So the best decision would be to take down the unsavory content immediately.

DEAR HARRIETTE: My senior prom is coming up, and I see that all the girls going are spending tons of money on dresses. I don't want to spend a ridiculous amount on a dress that I'm going to wear only once, but I also don't want to be embarrassed if my dress is clearly the cheapest one there. What should I do? -- Prudent Student, Gallup, N.M.

DEAR PRUDENT STUDENT: You are wise to want to spend your money carefully. Guess what? You can rent a high-end dress -- one you would probably never consider if you were going to buy a dress outright.

One of the popular websites that rent high-end clothing is www.renttherunway.com. You can find a wide array of fashion options there at extremely affordable prices, starting at $40.

Typically, you select a dress in your size and a size up. You have to return the items within seven days. It's a brilliant alternative to breaking your bank.

My former intern used Rent the Runway recently and was very pleased -- and she didn't see anyone wearing the same dress.

Additionally, you can embellish a dress you already have with fancy accessories. You don't have to be wearing the most fabulous outfit in the room to enjoy yourself. And you don't have to go cheap just because your resources are limited.