Build a custom feed of threads and posts from people you care about.
Follow a user: go to their profile → click Follow. They get a notification (optional — see privacy settings).
Your feed: visit /feed to see recent activity from everyone you follow, interleaved chronologically and filtered to public forums you have access to.
Followers & following lists: /followers and /following under your profile menu.
Difference vs. friends: following is one-way and doesn't require acceptance. Friends is two-way (both parties agree). Use follow for accounts you want to read, friends for mutual connections.