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Meet the Wise Guy. He’s got advice to give and questions to answer, so send in any and all problems concerning the opposite sex. What makes him so qualified? He’s been a boy his whole life, so he knows exactly what’s going through your crush, boyfriend, or best-guy-friend’s dumbhead. Ask him!


I'm 18 and my older brother's 24. He's got some really hot friends, and I've been hanging out with one of them. But, there's that whole code where you don't date your brother's friends. Should I keep things up with him, or just blow it off?

No guy wants to think of his little sister making out with some dude. It's part of the protection mechanism that's hard-wired into the male brain. Your brother wants to keep you innocent in his eyes, and if he can actually picture the person who's trying to get in his sister's pants, it'll severely freak him out. This is why that "code" exists in the first place. Now, if you and his friend have a genuine connection, it might be worth exploring. You'll just need to keep a few things in mind.


The age gap between an 18-year-old girl and a 24-year-old guy might seem small to you, but it's one of the largest six-year gaps there is, in terms of maturity and life experience. At his age, he might be out of college, starting a career, and hanging out with friends in bars, while you might be planning for the senior prom and hanging with your friends in your parents' basement. He may think of you as fun to play around with, but he might not respect you or take you seriously. On the other hand, maybe he's at the same stage in life as you -- all the way down to the part-time job at T.G.I. Friday's and the fact that he still lives with his Mom. Great catch.


If you know this guy well enough to understand who he is and what his intentions are, then go for it. Just don't do anything behind your brother's back -- tell him what's been going on and how you feel. Your brother doesn't control your life, so he can't forbid you from dating someone. But, if he's against this, it might be for some legit reasons.

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