INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If a friendship is hurting your self-esteem, causing anxiety, or inducing feelings of self-doubt, it may be time to end the friendship. The easiest way to do so is to slowly reduce contact with the other person. Stop scheduling time to hang out together outside of school and work. Don’t text them unless you absolutely need to. By slowly cutting off contact, you give yourself time to find other friends while avoiding a potentially nasty confrontation. Sometimes you might have to tell your friend face to face that you want to stop hanging out together. This can be very difficult, and it will probably occur after you have tried talking to them several times about your issues. If they ask you why, try to explain without blaming or accusing them.  You can try saying, “Look, we have had some good times, but I think I need my own space.” If they ask why, deflect the blame towards yourself. “I don’t think we have a similar sense of humor. Sometimes what you find funny is what I find hurtful. I don’t think you’re a bad person, but I don’t think we make good friends.” If you don’t want to tell them outright, you can give an excuse for not seeing them. For instance: “I need to spend more time on my work and less time on socializing” or “I’ve been neglecting my health, and I need to focus more on taking care of myself.” If your ex-friend tries to contact you in anger, ignore the messages. Don’t respond with equal anger. They may say things that you find are wrong or disturbing, but they may be trying to provoke you so that you appear to be the bad guy. Swallow your anger and ignore the messages. Distract yourself with another activity, and if their attempts at contact worsen, block their phone number and social media accounts. If your ex-friend repeatedly ignored your boundaries in the past, they will probably not start respecting them after you cut them off, even if they promise to improve. It may be easy to let them back into your life. It is fine to acknowledge that you had good times together while still recognizing that it was a toxic relationship. Let them know that you are firm in your decision, and don’t be swayed into being friends with them. If you and your ex-friend had many mutual friends, it can be hard to cut off contact, but you should not lose all of your friends because of one person. That said, your mutual friends may feel compelled to take a side. If your ex-friend tries to cause drama, stay strong. Do not spread rumors or speak poorly of your old friend. Tell your friends that you and your ex-friend had a falling out and that you still respect them even though you have gone your separate ways.   Try telling your friends, "All I'm going to say is that we had a fight. I think they are still a good person, but we need our space." If your friends push you for details, resist the urge to badmouth your old friend. Good friends will see that you are being a bigger person and will respect you for it. You may encounter your old friend in social settings, at school, or during work. The transition will be easier if you are able to make new friends outside of your usual social group. Join a club, start a hobby, or take an evening class. You will meet new people who are not associated with your toxic ex-friend.

SUMMARY: Reduce contact. Tell them you want to stop being friends. Ignore angry texts or emails. Enforce your boundaries. Keep your social group. Make new friends.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: You need to research where you are going, the flight times and prices for airlines, and which documents you need to take with you. Plan out your itinerary carefully. Some cities, like London or Paris, really need a week to see what they have to offer. Travel times also need to be taken into consideration. Traveling by train can take longer than traveling by car. Fodor's, Rick Steves, and the Michelin guides are all excellent places to start. Make sure you have the most up-to-date guide book for the area of the world you intend to visit. Some are updated every year. Others are updated every other year, or every few years. A good guidebook is a $15-20 investment that can save a lot of headache. Don't be afraid to rip it up and staple together only the pieces you need. A well-kept guidebook might make a nice souvenir, but it may not be worth the extra weight of carrying around information that you don't need. Before going on the trip, research what is and is not acceptable in your destination. When you arrive, observe how others act in person. Remember: some things are okay for locals to do, but not for tourists to do. This is just polite. Even if you struggle with it, the locals will appreciate that you've at least tried their language instead of rudely asking "Do you speak English?" (Or whatever your native tongue happens to be.) If you use the native language to ask for something, expect the reply to be in that language and at normal conversational speed – which is going to be faster than the audio lessons you learned. This is not to say that you shouldn't learn some basic greetings and questions. You should, however, be ready for the responses. Memorize it and note each of the places you will be visiting. Keep your map safe and dry. If you have access to a laptop or a smartphone (with data), you may not expressly need a physical map – but it is still usually smart to carry one as a backup. Examples include the "dropped ring" scam, the "fake petition," and friendship bracelets tied on your wrist by aggressive vendors. Also be aware of other common crimes, especially pickpocketing. TSA approved travel locks and money belts are both helpful, especially in areas where pickpocketing is extremely common.  The infamous #64 bus in Rome, for instance, is popular with pickpockets because it's the only bus in Rome that hits all of the popular tourist destinations. It's usually packed with tourists, and thick with thieves. Know what each local coin and bill is worth. For example, in Panama, everything is tied to the US dollar, so money comes in the same size, denomination, and material. In the UK, you'll find 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p,  £1, and £2 coins, as well as 5, 10, 20, and 50 pound notes. By knowing your denominations and specifying how much you are handing over, you can help avoid another common scam: intentionally incorrect change.

SUMMARY:
Do your research. Get a good guidebook. Understand the basic customs of the area. Learn some basic phrases of the country you are going to. Get a reliable map of the area you are going to. Be aware of common scams in your destination.