Three lessons we can learn from Mean Girls

The new Mean Girls musical movie is out this month, with all of the comedy, clap backs and cliques you'd expect from the previous film, plus musical numbers too! But behind the burn book and making fetch happen, there could be some deeper lessons about friendship and how you can deal with 'mean girls' (or boys) in real life.

1. How to help a friend who’s being bullied

In Mean Girls, positive change only starts after those who have been "personally victimized by Regina George" (one of the most iconic lines from the original film) come together to share their experiences and support each other. This shows how important it is to support your friends if they're experiencing bullying. You could encourage them to talk to someone, like a parent, guardian or teacher, or try supporting them yourself by being a good listener and using the SHUSH method.

What is the SHUSH method?

S - Show you care

Give them your undivided attention and show that you’re focused on them by putting away distractions, like your phone, and keeping eye contact.

H – Have patience

It might take people a while to open up, so don’t rush them and try to show compassion.

U – Use open questions

Instead of using yes/no questions, try using questions that allow for the other person to open more, like, “Can you tell me more about that?” or, “What happened after that?”

S – Say it back

Summarising what they said back to them not only shows that you were listening, but also offers them a chance to reflect on what they said, and makes sure that you understood what they meant.

H – Have courage

Don’t be put off by negative or a lack of responses, and don’t worry about filling silences.

2. How to know if you’re a bully

Towards the end of the original film, Cady realises that in trying to take down the clique of mean girls, she became a mean girl herself. It can be easy to get wrapped up in harmful jokes and behaviour without recognising it at the time. This is why it’s important to reflect on yourself and make sure that you're not engaging in bullying behaviour.

Are you making jokes at others’ expenses? How do those around you react to what you’re saying or doing? If other people are hurting because of your actions, then you know you’ve gone too far.

Everyone makes mistakes, but it’s important to acknowledge our mistakes so that we can move on from them. Don’t be afraid to reach out to a trusted adult for help or advice on how to put things right.

3. How to keep a friendship healthy

The ultimate message of the film is about how important friendship is, and that you need to be your true, authentic self to make sure you find healthy and uplifting relationships. You can do this by following our top tips on how to be a better friend. Things like being kind, listening and surrounding yourself with people who reflect the person you are.

If you’re unsure whether your friendship is healthy or not, look out for the characteristics of a healthy friendship. These include honest communication, mutual respect for boundaries and privacy, and being able to be yourself around your friends.

While it can be entertaining to watch fictional fallouts and characters being mean on the big screen, we should never tolerate that behaviour in our own lives. If you experience bullying, the best thing you can do is to reach out and share what’s happening with trusted adults and friends.

If you need support

You should always tell someone about the things you’re worried about. You can tell a friend, parent, guardian, teacher, or another trusted adult. If you're struggling with your mental health, going to your GP can be a good place to start to find help. Your GP can let you know what support is available to you, suggest different types of treatment and offer regular check-ups to see how you’re doing.

If you’re in need of in-the-moment support you can contact Childline, where you can speak to a counsellor. Their lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

There are more links to helpful organisations on BBC Action Line.