Page 55 - Girl's Life (August - September 2019)

life

“BREAK OUT OF YOUR SHELL” devastated when a soccer tournament
FROM BUSTING Heading back to school means all-new meant she had to miss a cruise with her
everything: classes, friends, extracurricu-
babes...but her BFF was a total sweet-
STRESS TO BEING lars—sometimes even a new school. But it heart about it. “She called me as soon as
doesn’t have to be overwhelming to con-
she got home, asked me how my tourna-
CONFIDENT, nect with a new crew. Take Carolyn W., ment was and filled me in on the cruise so
16, for example. For months, she had a
I would know what everyone was talking
GL GIRLS ARE tough time making friends—until one day about when we got back to school,” says
she opened up and talked to a new girl
Janelle. And if you’re on the other side
#BLESSED WITH (now her best friend). “From that point of that scenario? Addressing the issue in
on, she basically dragged me everywhere:
a sensitive way (“We totally missed you
BESTIES WHO’VE lunch, parties, the movies,” Carolyn tells at Abby’s party last night!”) will erase
us. “I met my closest friends that way.”
any potential awkwardness and keep the
DOLED OUT A+ After a while, Carolyn became so comfy peace between you and your BFF.
around others that she was introducing
LESSONS YOU friends to her BFF. And, yeah, she’s not “PERFECTION IS OVERRATED”
going back to the shy life any time soon.
In this super filtered world, it’s easy to for-
WON’T FIND IN “GET BACK OUT THERE” get that we all drop lasagna on our new
white jeans at lunch or have bad hair days
THE CLASSROOM. The lazy days of vacay morph into the that seem to last for, well, entire years.
crazy days of BTS...fast. In those moments,
And even if you show up to school sport-
TOSS ASIDE YOUR it’s great to have a bestie who can keep ing two different shoes (hey, it happens!),
you grounded (and sane). That’s one reason
we’re betting your BFF will walk by your
PENCIL, DITCH Taylor J., 14, is grateful for her optimistic side in the hallway—or at least let you
BFF. “Whenever I have a bad day, she
borrow her spare sneaks. Agrees Emmy
THE SPIRAL shows me the bright side of things,” she T., 15, “My best friend taught me that it’s
says. That sunny influence makes stressful
OK to make mistakes.” Knowing that you
NOTEBOOK AND days seem less intense and gives some can always go to your girl for support will
perspective when you’re turning a tiny
make the bad days more bearable—and
STUDY UP ON problem into a major worry mountain. help you stop beating yourself up already.
(Psst: This is something to remind your-
“SMART GIRLS STICK TOGETHER”
THESE AWESOME OK, so your #1 also happens to be first in self of on the daily.) Because real friends
accept each other, flaws and all.
LIFE SECRETS. your class. Instead of feeling bad about
your own mix of grades, see what makes
her so successful and then adopt those “BE PRESENT”
same smart habits. Ari C., 16, swears Between texts and Insta and classes, it’s
that having a brilliant best friend helps easy to feel like you’re with your BFF 24/7.
her in the classroom, too. “I’ve learned But the truth is, waving “hey” while at
so much from her school habits, like how your locker isn’t the same as really giving
she studies,” she tells us. “She inspires me your girl your 100 percent undivided
to do my best because she’s so focused attention. Sometimes, that’s all she
academically.” If your bestie’s a brainiac? needs. When Lena C., 15, had a death in
Stop comparing your report cards and her family, she was comforted by the con-
sidle up to her during your next study stant presence of her best babe. “She was
session. Watch and learn, girl. there for me, bringing me my fave laven-
der oat milk lattes and cards, taking me
“THINK ABOUT OTHERS’ out to get my mind off of things and just
FEELINGS” simply being the best friend ever,” she
On a Friday night when you’re at home tells us. We know it can be tough to deal
for family dinner, it’s easy to feel like with the sad and stressful stuff straight
everyone else is at the party of the year. on, but really try to be there when your
(Spoiler: probably not.) But it’s inevitable bestie needs you. The easiest way to show
that at some point, you will, in fact, miss her you care? Just say, “I’m so sorry. I’m
something major. Janelle B., 14, was here for you.” And mean it.

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