The UC Davis Regional Center for Change is conducting an unprecedented study on the Sacramento region’s youth to better understand the disparities in youth well being. The study will focus on four different sectors – education,health,employment and civic engagement.

This past Memorial Day weekend I did something I’ve never done before.And no,I didn’t take three consecutive body shots of three different liquors off the bellies of three different sorority girls for three days straight; I wasn’t on houseboats,sorry to disappoint. Instead,I went to Raging Waters.But more on that later.

Ladies andgentlemenof the class of2009…wear sunscreen. If I could offer you only one tip for the future,sunscreen would be it. But I have a lot of column left,so I will offer you more.The rest of my advice,though,is a wholly owned subsidiary of my experience,and may or may not have any applicability to yours and may or may not get you into a lot of trouble.

Readers– as this is the last column the hard-working and parsimonious gang atTheAggie will let me publish this year,let me say its been one king-hell of a ride writing for you.My coverage of the obscure and important,I hope,has helped you to see more elephants in the room than a schizophrenic pachyderm.