In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: Don't feel like you need to act in a certain way to befriend someone of the opposite sex. You don't have to play into gender stereotypes just to make a new friend. For example, if you're a girl, don't feel like you have to be into football for a guy to be friends with you. Likewise, guys don't need to pretend to be into things that they think girls typically like, such as fashion or shopping. If you do like those things, great! Just don't feel like you have to exhibit any interests that you don't actually have. If you pretend to be someone you're not, you're not going to enjoy the friendship very much. When you're getting to know someone, it's important to look for things that you have in common. That will help you establish a good friendship. In order to do that, talk about a lot of different things. You might be surprised to know what you learn! This doesn't have to be complicated. For example, you might mention that you just tried a great new Thai place. That could lead to a conversation about the other person's planned trip to Thailand or recommendations for another restaurant. Be willing to let the conversation flow naturally. Ask questions to show you are interested in their likes. You could say, "That's a cool Colts jersey. I don't know a ton about Indianapolis. Are you from there?" Be upfront with your friend about your romantic status. You wouldn't hide your relationship from your other friends, right? You don't have to make a big deal out of it. But it is important to let the other person know that you already have a romantic relationship so that they don't get confused about your friendship goals. When you're getting to know each other, it's normal to ask if the other person is in a relationship. You can share your status, too. You can also casually drop the information into the conversation. Say something like, "My boyfriend and I just finished that new documentary on Netflix. Have you seen it?" It's totally fine to be honest about what you are looking for in a new friendship. You can say, "I've noticed that you talk about movies a lot. I'm always looking for someone to see a matinee with. Do you want to be movie buddies?" If you're looking for a deeper friendship, hopefully, that will develop with time. If you're not sure what you want, that's okay, too. You can start by hanging out and see what kind of friendship naturally develops. It's possible that the other person is physically attracted to you. If they seem to hesitate when you make it clear that you just want to be friends, you might want to take a step back. It's hard to be true friends when you don't both have the same idea of what the relationship should look like. You can kindly say, "It's really important to me to be comfortable in my friendships. It doesn't seem like we're on the same page, so we're probably better off just staying friendly acquaintances."
Summary: Ignore gender stereotypes. Be open to talking about a variety of topics. Let the other person know if you are in a relationship. Clearly state your intentions about the friendship. Reevaluate being friends if you're not on the same page.

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: The mental stimulation from reading can help improve thinking skills and memory. Reading improves your brain's mental flexibility, an important part of memory retention, by stimulating your entire mind and keeping every part of your brain active. You don't need to read an entire book a day. At least 15-20 minutes of continuous reading can give you the mental benefits you need to be more intelligent. Listening to audio books is a convenient way to read every day. Reading more fiction will help you become better able to empathize with other people and view the world from their perspective, because novels and short stories encourage you to understand the motivations and points of view of multiple characters. The ability to understand other people requires a high degree of emotional intelligence, and fiction is an easy way to improve yours. Fiction also improves your cognitive flexibility by mentally placing you in different situations and settings, allowing you to imagine how you would respond. Reading the news keeps you informed and a steady diet of national, local, and international news will make you smarter, sharper, and more intelligent. Whether it's a traditional newspaper or a news app on your smartphone or tablet, aim to read at least the latest headlines for the day. Don't neglect your local news it's just as important to stay informed about what's going on in your community as it is to learn about what's going on in the broader world. Talk radio is a convenient way to absorb the day's news.
Summary:
Read a little bit every day to improve cognitive function. Read more fiction to become more emotionally intelligent. Read the news every day to stay current on what is going on in the world.