Posts for 'Social Etiquettes' Category

It may seem like a no-brainer for most people, but today's younger generations seem to lack basic social skills, which becomes evident when they try to start careers. Children growing up in a digital era seem to have a confused view about what is appropriate with friends versus what is acceptable behavior in adult and professional situations, both in person and online.

Faye Rogaski, a public relations executive and communications teacher, noticed social boundaries being disregarded in her college students, she told CNN. They did not dress appropriately for school and had no email etiquette.

The young adults also quickly tarnished anything left of a polished reputation when friending her on Facebook. Here they were social networking with a potential boss and person of higher influence, yet posting all their debaucheries for her to see.

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Who owns the middle seat arm rests on a plane, really? How do you break away from the marathon talker in seat 12E?

And what do you do, if anything, about the angelic-looking child kicking the back of your seat?

Incivility and rudeness are often the product of stress, and there are few situations more primed for stress these days than travel - especially air travel.

Once glamorous, air travel is now a test of patience, and sometimes even endurance. Today's travellers face the reality of rigorous security procedures on top of flight delays and cancellations, anxiety about flying, cramped seating and reduced or no meal service.

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I have to go the grocery store tonight, and I’m already dreading it. The scene there is all too easy to envision, probably because it’s the one I encounter every time I go: aisles crowded with shopping carts and patrons standing in front of products with dazed looks on their faces; a sea of people in the express lane, half of whom obviously don’t meet the “ten items or less” requirement.

This undoubtedly rings a bell with most people, since annoying behavior seems to be a necessary accompaniment to the supermarket experience.

But why should this be so? If so many of us have the same complaints about grocery store decorum, or lack thereof, you’d think we might’ve solved the problem by now. I suspect the issue is that many of us are unknowing offenders, which means we could all use a refresher course on grocery store etiquette or how not to make food shopping an aggravatingly painful experience.

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In Chris Stein's class, children can be whomever they want: Taylor Swift, a Jonas Brother, SpongeBob SquarePants, President Obama.

Stein teaches social etiquette and table manners to elementary and middle school students. Urbana Middle is scheduled for classes in late March.

Classes have about 18 students, from 8 to 14 years old. Topics range from listening skills and good host and guest behaviors to thank-you notes and common courtesies.

Starting with social niceties, the students learn introductions and welcoming behavior, including handshakes. The children practice with each other, Stein said, making eye contact, smiling, "that kind of thing." Role playing introductions help break the ice for shy children.

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It’s been the most popular way to greet someone since medieval times but now handshaking may be dying out.

Knights would extend their hands to each other to show they were not holding a weapon and to keep a potential assailant at arm’s length.

But it seems this tradition is being consigned to history. Research shows that fewer than half of young people shake hands.

Teens are more likely to bump fists because they think it is less formal. And the death of the handshake is not the only sign that traditional etiquette is changing...

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The UTSA Honors Alliance hosted the eighth annual Citizenry and Etiquette Dinner on Oct. 14 in the University Center Ballroom (1.106) at the Main Campus.

More than 70 students attended the event to hone their dining skills in order to be more comfortable at social engagements and to help prepare them for formal events they may encounter in the work world.

Honors Alliance Scholarly programming chair Tanya Tijerina was responsible for coordinating the evening's speaker, Margaret Houston from.

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This exciting one-day seminar/workshop  is for anyone, any age interested in acquiring the finer points and necessary skills for smooth social and business interactions,  and to handle challenging social encounters with style and panache. Know your protocol when dealing with visiting foreign dignitaries and clients.

Packed with up to-the-minute techniques to enhance your  professional presence to create best impressions, and be the ideal ambassador for your organization. Learn how to host chic and elegant functions. Participants will be taken through the intricacies of business entertaining and formal dining so that they gain absolute confidence in these areas.

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Gone are the days when birthday parties were comprised of games and cake. Nowadays, birthday parties are expensive whether you host your child's birthday party at your home or at an off-site location. This leaves many of us wondering if party favor trinkets found in loot bags are a necessary expense in addition to the cost of the food, drinks and entertainment.

Although party favors are not a necessity, many of us feel compelled to provide them to birthday guests as a way to express our gratitude. In reality, party bags are generally filled with cheap choking hazards that kids break upon receiving then forget about within a few minutes.

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Summer is invariably wedding season, and as we get older it seems more and more of our friends are taking the plunge into that oh-so-adult territory this time of year. However, as guests to these soirees, it’s not always clear how to act like an adult.

Matrimonial manners can be downright baffling as we tread in these relatively unknown waters, so WEEKEND spoke to Tricia Riveire, owner of  Love, Lillian, a Bloomington wedding planning business about all the dos and don’ts before, during and after the “I do”s. If you’ve found that an invite to someone’s special day has come your way, read on. We’ve got you covered.

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Many believe that party etiquette is a thing of the past. A common misconception is that a party is an occasion for letting go of civilized conventions, throwing caution to the wind or getting out of line. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Proper party etiquette is more important than ever. Parties are becoming increasingly more elaborate and guest lists tend to be incredibly long. A major faux pas at a party these days will be witnessed by dozens and never lived down. A wedding for instance is extremely expensive and every activity is likely to be recorded on every digital device from a cell phone camera to a professional video camera. The dancer who trips on the dance floor may end up on a bloopers type television program!

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