DEAR HARRIETTE: Why are summer camps so expensive? I have an 8-year-old son, and he is interested in playing organized basketball. I did some research, and I found the average cost of a sports camp is about $500. I also found out that the sessions are eight hours each day for five days. I understand paying that kind of money for a teenager, but not for an 8-year-old. Do you know a less expensive way to have my son learn how to play basketball? -- Novice Dad, New York City

DEAR NOVICE DAD: You are in luck. There are camps of all different prices -- you just have to do a little searching. Check with your local Y. Look for community centers in your area where there should be sports programs, including basketball, during the summer for a nominal fee. In New York City, the Children's Aid Society offers affordable camps. Visit childrensaidsociety.org/camps for more information.

Many churches offer camps for children, too. And some camps offer financial aid to families who need support. You can find a camp that will fit your budget. Don't give up!

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am 51 years old, and I am planning to attend graduate school to get my master's in education. I am wondering if I am able to receive financial aid for my postgraduate degree. -- Higher Learning, Chicago

DEAR HIGHER LEARNING: First, figure out where you might want to go to school. Learn the costs for a few schools that you like, and investigate to see if the schools offer scholarships or financial aid. A scholarship is money you do not have to pay back that is based on merit. Look into scholarships to see what types are offered. You would be amazed at the range of specificity to consider. Same goes for grants that are offered for all kinds of reasons, including being a late bloomer going back for a degree. Actively ask questions of your school to see what it has to offer.

Financial aid can be money that you don't pay back that is based on need. You will have to organize all of your financial papers so that you can file for financial support. This will include your W-2, all other income and all debt. Typically, the school has a division that will process your request and let you know if you are eligible for aid and, if so, how much. Also, look into FAFSA.

Go beyond the school and look into community organizations, churches and social clubs. Do your research to determine if there is money available for somebody like you who wants to continue your education. There are many websites that point to potential scholarships. Look online. Go to the library and ask questions. By all means, talk to financial aid officers at the schools you find interesting.

DEAR HARRIETTE: My college boyfriend and I have been dating since freshmen year, and we just graduated. I have a job in Boston, and he has one in Chicago. We love each other very much and have even talked about marriage, but I'm not sure how our relationship can withstand the distance. We both tried to find jobs in the same city, but we agreed we were offered jobs that we could not pass up. Travel costs are going to be expensive, and the stress of not seeing each other won't be healthy for either of us. Is it better to end our relationship now, on a high note, or should we give a long-distance relationship a shot? -- Going the Distance, Nashville, Tennessee

DEAR GOING THE DISTANCE: Do not give up before you give it a try. Believe it or not, many couples that are truly devoted to each other have been able to weather the long-distance storm. It requires devotion, planning, budgeting and faith. You can build into your budget the funds needed to visit each other regularly. Using social media and tools such as FaceTime or Skype, you can stay in touch with each other daily to be able to share the machinations of your daily lives as they are happening.

It will be easier for you to schedule vacations and any time together with a plan. You must also make space for each of you to cultivate friendships and do your jobs. If you trust that you are the partners for each other and you want to stick it out, work to make that happen. Create a sign together, a code of some kind, that will let the other know if either of you feels the need to revisit the plan and make adjustments. That way, even if you eventually decide not to stay together, it does not have to be a surprise. You can work through that respectfully, too.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have been sharing secrets about my life with my best friend for years. Recently, though, I have noticed that she has no patience for my stories. I'm not the only one talking, by the way. I have listened to her stories forever, too. But I somehow feel like my broken-record stories have her fed up or something, and she is done hearing me out. What am I going to do if my friend won't listen to me anymore? It's not fair. -- Deaf Ears, Syracuse, New York

DEAR DEAF EARS: Take your friend's act of stepping back as a perfect opportunity for you to step forward and examine your life with a critical eye. If you have been droning on about the same concerns for years on end, how can you change that? What is it about your thinking or your behavior that is worth changing so that you can be happy? Only you can change how you live your life. Your friends can be supportive, but, interestingly, sometimes the best support is that of stepping away and creating space for a friend to meditate on what's going on without the distraction of other people's comments. Thank your friend and pay attention to your life. Then act accordingly.

DEAR HARRIETTE: My boyfriend invited me to attend his company's black-tie affair, but there is one problem: I am tattooed. I have a black sleeve on my right arm and some ink on my chest. I do not know how his company feels about women with tattoos, but I really want to go to support my boyfriend. What is the proper attire for black-tie events? -- Tasteful ink, Brooklyn, New York

DEAR TASTEFUL INK: Talk to your boyfriend about his company, and tell him your concerns. Ask him if any of his co-workers, particularly women, have tattoos. Ask him what he has noticed in general. If tattoos are the norm, yours may not be a big surprise to anyone. If his work environment is somewhat conservative and your tats are not, you may want to look for camouflaging techniques that will ease you into his world.

Since you wisely believe that being modest is the best way to go, you can shop for an outfit that covers your tattoos to the best of your ability. For example, black tie tends to mean a long dress -- an evening gown -- for a woman to wear with heels. You can even wear a strapless dress if that suits you, but add a cardigan or a dressy jacket to go over it. Many evening dresses are sold with covers for the shoulders, so this should be easy to find. As far as tattoos on your chest, you can look for a dress with a higher collar that either covers completely or mostly where the tattoos are most prominent.

Ultimately, you have to feel comfortable in your own skin as you support your boyfriend. You may not be able to hide your tats completely, but reducing their prominence at this formal occasion is a smart choice. This does not mean, by the way, that you will need to hide them forever from these people.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a senior in high school, and I want to ask a girl who I like to be my date to the prom. I do not want to embarrass myself, because she may say no. How can I make sure she would be interested in me and attending the prom as my guest? -- Patiently Waiting, Memphis, Tennessee

DEAR PATIENTLY WAITING: You are experiencing the classic jitters of anyone who is in this position. The stakes feel high, and you do not want to be embarrassed by possible rejection. What you can do is begin a conversation with the girl in question. Phrase your invitation such that you ask her if she has already made plans to go to the prom, because you would very much like to invite her to be your date. In this way, you state clearly what your desire is as you also give her an out. If she has already accepted an invitation or even if she does not want accept yours, she has a comfortable way of declining. But remember: She might say yes! She may have been waiting for you to ask.