Make sure that your friends, classmates, and acquaintances all know that you are always there for them, and ready to be a sympathetic ear. If you're a helpful listener, people will seek you out when they have really juicy gossip to share. Help them to unburden themselves of those weighty secrets. Then, you know, spread them around. Practice your active listening skills. Make eye contact when someone is talking, nodding your head along to encourage them. Repeat and summarize what they've said, and encourage them to talk more. Sometimes, it's helpful to give a little gossip of your own to help get someone talking. If a friend seems bothered by some problem, say something like, "You know, I've been feeling the same way. Tell me how you're feeling" to get them started. Then just keep talking about them instead of circling back to you. People typically want to keep secrets to themselves. If you want to bring gossip up to the surface, you've got to learn how to dig below and get at the good stuff. Pay attention to body language when someone talks to you. If someone is shifty, uncomfortable, and won't make eye contact, it likely shows that they're feeling uncomfortable about a topic you're discussing. Ask leading questions to keep them talking. "What happened next?" or "And then what did he say?" will help to keep the gossip rolling, even if the other person doesn't want to talk. Be insistent. If you like to talk, go where the talkers go, and hang out with people who like to gossip. Learn who you can trust with secrets, and who will spread them on to others by asking pointed questions. If someone gives you the goods when you ask, "What's her deal?" you know you've got a friend in dirt. Added bonus: If you have a friend who is always blurting out secrets, it makes it easier to blame gossip on them, if necessary. If your friends are unable to keep secrets, keep your own secrets under close lock and key. Be very careful you don't go from gossiper to gossiped-about. Women often get an unfair reputation for being the gossipers of the world. In truth, studies reveal that men are slightly more willing to gossip, especially when it comes to workplace rumors and conversations. While the gossip of strangers is never quite as good as the gossip of people you actually know, good dirt is good dirt, regardless. If you want to find something good to gossip about, pay attention to what other people are saying around you. When you're on the bus, in a coffee shop, or just taking a walk, keep an ear out for good side conversations. Pro tip: Wear ear buds or headphones when you're sitting somewhere in public, and pretend you're listening to something and can't hear. People will talk more freely if they think you're not able to hear what they're saying. Facebook and Twitter are great places to dig up some serious gossip. People tend to be less guarded and more loose-lipped when they're posting online, which means you can find out stuff they might not normally tell you. If you know a couple train-wrecks, set your phone to send you a notification any time that person posts something, or change your settings to promote that person's stuff. Be sure you don't miss out on any ridiculousness. When someone posts a big batch of pictures, make sure you look through it for signs of potential gossip. Where did they go? Why? What's going on there? Try to come up with good answers. Read celebrity gossip blogs and dirt-sheets as well. While gossiping about what one of the Kardashians is up to might seem less exciting than people you actually know, starting out by dishing on celebs can be a good way to transition into juicer gossip. Get the conversation rolling with red carpet talk, then dish on the real dirt.

Summary: Be a good listener. Learn how to dig deeper. Make friends with other gossipers. Eavesdrop. Snoop around online. Pay attention to the stars, too.

It's a green app with a white phone icon on it. This tab is near the top of the screen. If WhatsApp opens to a conversation, first tap the "Back" button in the top-left corner of the screen. This will open the conversation in question. You can also tap the "New Message" button in the bottom-right corner of the screen and then select a contact to start a new conversation. It's the smiley-face icon on the left side of the chat bar that's at the bottom of the screen. You can tap a tab near the top of the emoji window to browse through emoji categories, or you can swipe left across the emojis to scroll through them. It's on the right side of the chat bar. This will send your emoji(s) to the conversation.

Summary: Open WhatsApp. Tap CHATS. Tap a conversation. Tap the emoji button. Select an emoji. Tap the "Send" arrow.

These systems deter break-ins and crime because they offer a direct line to emergency services from inside your home, whether you are home or away. If burglars notice that your home is equipped with a home security system, they might pass on your house and move on to an easier target. Only share your home security code with individuals whom you absolutely trust. If you think someone untrustworthy has obtained the code, change it as soon as possible. Choose a home security system with a lighted motion sensor. When these systems detect movement, they turn on flood lighting, making it easy to see what or who is approaching your home. Some home security systems involve cameras. Be sure to invest in a high definition camera, so that if your home is ever burglarized and the cameras capture photos or video of the perpetrator, the images will be clear enough to give a good picture of the burglar. Don't give burglars the opportunity to hide or lurk outside your home. Keep bushes and shrubbery trimmed and leave your porch light on, if possible. You want your home to be as uninviting to criminals as you can make it. While everyone loves a bright, airy space, window coverings are important to install so that your belongings aren't on display for potential burglars. It's especially important to keep your window coverings closed at night when it's easiest for prowlers to look into your home for things they might want to steal when you're gone. This is a basic but very important safety precaution. Before you leave your home or go to bed for the night be sure that all your doors and windows are locked, including your garage door, if you have one. This applies to your car, as well. Be sure that all your windows are closed and any valuables are out of sight or locked in the trunk. Timers help you control when your lights and TV turn on and off when you aren't home. This gives the illusion of someone being home and can help deter potential home break-ins. Many timers can be programmed remotely with your cellphone and some even have a battery backup in case of a power failure. Offering personal information on your mailbox or exterior of your home invites stalkers and burglars to learn who lives at your address. For safety and anonymity do not advertise your name on the exterior of your home. If they keep an eye on your home while you're gone, ask them to watch for any suspicious activity. Authorize them to report any strange activity or suspicious individuals to police or the neighborhood watch group in your absence. If you'll be gone for more than a week, consider having the post office hold your mail and hire a teenager in the neighborhood to mow your lawn. An overgrown lawn with packages piling up at the front door is a dead giveaway to criminals that no one is home at your house. Make it a priority to have your home appear to have someone at home so that potential criminals will be deterred.
Summary: Invest in a home security system. Install window coverings for privacy. Lock your doors and windows. Install timers on your lights and TV. Remove your name from your home's exterior. Let your neighbors know when you'll be out of town.