INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Having a same-sex pair of hamsters will help to ensure that you do not end up with baby hamsters to care for, and it will also increase the chances that the two hamsters will get along. A reputable breeder or a pet shop employee should be able to sex the hamsters for you. Younger hamsters will be more likely to get along, so buy 2 young hamsters together if possible. This will help to ensure that they are not strangers and will increase the chances that they will get along. Do not try to put a young hamster in with an older hamster. The older hamster will be protective of its territory and the hamsters will likely fight. Exchange a bit of bedding between the hamsters' cages. Then, give both hamsters a couple of days to investigate the other hamster's scent before you put them in the same cage. Also, keep in mind that if you hold one hamster and then introduce it to a cage with a hamster you have not yet held, then the other hamster may reject that hamster based on the unfamiliar scent. Hold both hamsters before you introduce them to each other so that your scent will be on both of them.

SUMMARY: Get hamsters that are the same sex. Choose hamsters younger than 2 months old from the same litter or cage. Let the hamsters get used to each other's scent before introducing them.

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: College campuses are full of official and non-official groups and organizations. Some may be political, others for shared hobbies, others to create a “home away from home” for minorities and marginalized students. Joining clubs can help you continue to explore your identity, while building up a social network.  Do you feel out of place? You might look for a group that will offer support, fellowship, and solidarity, like organizations for First Generation College Students, for minorities on campus, or for international students. Do you feel spiritually adrift? There are very often faith-based or explicitly secular groups that cater to these feelings, as well, like Catholic, Atheist, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, and Freethinker groups. You can also find groups whose purpose is public service. If you are searching for bigger meaning in life, you might consider joining a volunteer organization that tutors at-risk high schoolers, for example, or that does community outreach. Another way that you can explore your identity – and also make a difference in society – is to get involved in causes on campus. Especially these days, college campuses are centers for activism. Joining one of these causes can give you a sense of mission and also connect you to like-minded people.  Do you want to explore your political, sexual, gender, or racial identity? Campus activist groups are usually oriented towards promoting social or political causes that can deal with these topics. Activism can also take different forms. You might join a group that promotes causes you feel strongly about, for instance, like LGBTQ awareness or Black Lives Matter. You might also get involved in demonstrations, letter writing campaigns, or campus politics. It's perfectly natural to feel closer to people like you, people who look, think, and identify like you. It's also perfectly OK to socialize with these peers. Still, one of the great things about college is the diversity of the student body in backgrounds, views, and identities. Don't be afraid to gravitate toward people like you, but avoid too much “self-segregation.”  Self-segregation is something that all groups do on college campuses to some degree. In fact, white students lead all other groups in only associating with people like them.  Try to be more aware of who you socialize with, for one. Take a look at your friends and peers. Do all of them look like you, think like you, and share the same opinions? You might be self-segregating a bit too much. Make an effort to connect with people who aren't necessarily like you. This can mean in background or appearance, but also in beliefs, worldviews, and political opinions. You won't grow as a person if you live in a self-contained echo-chamber.
Summary: Join a campus club. Get involved in causes. Socialize with peers, but don't isolate yourself.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: There are tons of different areas or niches for mediation work. There is no one single way to become a generalized mediator. What you learn, where you look, who you network with are all going to be dependent on what type of mediating you decide to do.  For example, if you wanted to go into family mediation (dealing with children, with divorce, domestic violence, and so on) you would need to be certified in behavioral or social sciences as well as in child development. Mediating workplace disputes would require knowledge specific to the workplace and to the laws and practices therein. It's even better if you have experience dealing with matters particular to that specific workplace, or type of workplace (for example, dealing specifically with factory issues, or mining litigation). Other types of mediation niches include: environmental, art, education, malpractice, criminal justice, landlord/tenant, gay/lesbian, and so on. The best way to get a feel for what is required of a mediator is to talk to someone who is or has done it. It's especially good to find someone in your specific area. While talking to someone who mediates art disputes could be informative, it won't have the same information needed if you're looking to go into workplace disputes.  Go to conferences. There are tons of conferences devoted to mediation all around the world. Check and see if there are any in your area (for the U.S., for example, Chicago, New York, and various parts of California hold large mediation conferences yearly).  Get a feel for how the system works. When you do meet with someone who is a mediator, you'll want to find out how the system works so you can be as effective as you possibly can. This includes finding out what the work environment is like, what their advice is for getting established, and who decides which mediators are established. Get a feel for what you need to know. Ask them about the types of laws, and rules you'll need to know, and education background that you'll need to have. Depending on the niche you decided to work in you may not need a master's degree, but it can definitely help your credentials. Proving that you have experience with the topic is important if you want to be successful as a mediator.  Remember that if you wanted to mediate in Family Law, you would need a background (preferably a master's or a PhD) in behavioral or social sciences as well as family and child development. It's also not a bad idea to get a degree in conflict resolution, as universities and colleges are increasingly offering this opportunity, If you decided to be a civil, general equity, or probate mediator you would need to have at least five years of professional experience in your field of expertise as well as an advanced degree and a minimum of two successfully mediated cases within the last year, or an undergraduate degree and a minimum of ten successfully mediated cases within the last five years. Often if you get your PhD in your chosen subject the courts waive your need to have a certain number of successfully mediated case. Either that or the reduce the amount of successfully mediated cases you need to have. Mediation doesn't require any specific qualifications (except in Florida which has qualification requirements). There are certain qualification classes you can take, but usually these only give you the qualification that you completed the course, without guaranteeing that you are actually a certified mediator.  You should go to school in your chosen field (art mediation, or law mediation, environmental mediation) and get a degree that shows you know that area well. Having a law degree can be incredibly useful, because it shows that you know and understand law, especially laws in a particular area. To get listed as a professional you typically have to have several years of experience with mediation (internship, community mediation volunteer, etc.).

SUMMARY:
Look into the different types of mediation work. Talk to someone who is a mediator. Get a master’s degree in your chosen field. Consider getting certified.