MAKE IT CUTE

Kick it off right

Your sleepover doesn’t start when your guests walk in the door. Heighten the anticipation and the “this is special!” feeling by hand delivering an invite to your new friend. Tell her you and your buds really want her to join in the fun this week, then offer up a cute card with all the details, including anything she needs to bring—polish for manis, sleeping bag and pillow, munchies for a midnight potluck snack.

Break the ice

It’s hard being the odd one out of group of girls who’ve been friends since the dawn of time…or at least since the first day of third grade. Ask your new chica to come over a little earlier than the rest of the gang so you can get comfy with each other, and you can give her the grand tour. Then when the whole crew’s there, bust awkward silence with a ridic ice-breaker game.

Try something new

Falling into your same-old sleepover routine—manis, then pedis, then a gossip sesh, then a rom-com marathon—will quickly have your new pal feeling like she doesn’t belong. Try creating a new tradition. Maybe you can do a DIY, film a dance video or watch PLL from the very beginning. That way, you’ll be creating fresh memories with your expanding social circle.

Check in

Periodically throughout the night, ask her if she’s doing OK—if she needs anything to drink, if she’s hungry, if there’s anything she wants to watch or listen to. Chances are she’s feelin’ a li’l too shy to speak up for herself in this new situation. Don’t single her out, but when you two are thrown together and it feels natural to pop the Q, don’t say silent.

Be all-inclusive

It’s easy to fall back into old habits when you’re doing so many familiar things, but diving into drama with your BFF when your new friend has no idea what you’re even talking about is only gonna make her uncomfortable. Ask her who’s she’s crushing on, what she does for fun and, when you do talk shop with your sistahs, be sure to fill her in on the back story.

by GL | 2/1/2016