I am soon leaving for a year abroad as part of my college education. An older (by about one generation) friend and classmate, whom I have known for less than a year (We've had two classes together and this term sit by each other, work on class assignments together, etc.). Today she gave me a very lavish gift (in my starving college student opinion) from a high-priced boutique.

I'm 19 and I've been arguing with my mother for a very long time. I've been trying to find apartments to move into with no luck- everything is way too expensive at about $600-$700 a month. I have a part time job that gives me about $90 on the weeks with the least amount of hours, but I usually get about $120 a week.

I was recently asked to be in the wedding party of a decent friend. (We're not too close, but we're friends) Another girl wouldn't be in town for the day of the wedding so she asked another girl. I hate this girl.

In my apartment complex we have a pool, and every Spring ducks come and lay their eggs and have babies. They never bother anyone, but the other tenants hate having them around. Last year, after the ducks had babies the children of the complex turned the jets on the baby ducks in the hot tub and the poor things drowned. The mother duck was heart broken.

I just signed the lease on my very own first apartment. I'm beyond excited but now that it's official I'm getting nervous because I've never lived on my own. I don't even know where to start and my parents aren't very helpful. I need advice for everything from setting up bills to decorating, PLEASE!!!!?

Happy almost New Year's, ladies!! What are your new year's resolutions?