Manners Matter

Yankees vs. Rednecks

2009-09-27T15:11:00.000-07:00

I’ve just returned from an unforgettable place full of fabulous restaurants, Broadway entertainment and a wide variety of people, each with their own unique customs and traditions. This place, known to many as the Big Apple, is one of America’s largest and well-known metropolises- New York City.
I had an incredible weekend with my younger sister, Jennifer, my mother, DeeAnn, and my grandmother Martha, or as my siblings and I affectionately call her, Mama II. We shopped the streets of SoHo, scoring deals for knock-off designer purses in Chinatown, while also attempting to avoid congested sidewalks and search for bathrooms, which proved to be more difficult than expected. We also saw “The Phantom of the Opera” and “Hamlet” on Broadway, both of which were amazing. I’ll watch three and a half hours of Jude Law any day!
Nevertheless, I have always been intimidated by big cities. I heard the locals were rude, and I was afraid I would miss the southern hospitality I have always known. However, the rumors I’d heard were proven wrong. Everyone I encountered, from taxi drivers and bellmen, to bartenders and random people on the sidewalk, were as polite as could be. I was relieved to know that if I do decide to move to New York one day, I don’t have to be afraid. Sure, maybe afraid of getting run over by one of those yellow cabs that shoot through the streets, but not of the locals. People were always happy to give directions, stand up so my grandma could have a seat and offer advice about which shows to see and where to go for the best food.
I think the myth that Yankees are rude holds no ground. People are people, regardless of where they were raised. You’ll always encounter rude ones and kind ones; however, hasty generalizations won’t do anything but make you miss out on the possibility of meeting a diverse group of amazing people.

The Phantom of the Opera

2009-09-27T15:05:00.000-07:00

My grandmother and I, acting as goofy as usual, pose in front of one of the posters outside of the Majestic Theatre in New York City as we wait in line for the show. The poster depicts an image from "The Phantom of the Opera." We were thrilled to get front-row seats for the amazing performance.

Go Gators!

2009-09-27T14:59:00.000-07:00

I pose outside of the Le' Orange Bleue Restaurant, located behind Bloomingdale's in New York City, as a tribute to the Gators who were playing football later that night. We stumbled upon the restaurant while searching for Chinatown.

New York City

2009-09-27T14:51:00.000-07:00

My sister, Jennifer, my grandma Martha and I smile for the camera in one of New York City's most famous spots- Time Square. We visited the city for a weekend trip with my mother, DeeAnn, for my grandma's 70th birthday.

Inappropriate Cell Phone Use

2009-09-11T12:22:00.000-07:00

I love my cell phone. It’s a great way to stay in touch with friends, read e-mails and text message when talking isn’t an option. However, I’ve noticed that one of the most common ways college students are impolite is by using their cell phones in inappropriate places. Restaurants such as Moe’s and Starbuck’s have to put up signs to ask people not to use their phones in line, and professors are having to lower grades because of cell phone use in classes.
Cell phones are so tempting, especially when it seems like a class is dragging on, but it is so rude to the professor who spends his or her time helping you learn. It’s also rude to chat with your friends while the Moe’s employee tries to read your mind to figure out what you want because you aren’t paying attention.
I’ve found that the easiest way to deal with the cell phone temptation is to simply put it away. Wait until after you’ve ordered that awesome burrito or left the lecture to catch up with friends and read your e-mails. It sends a much more positive message to all of those around you. It will help you keep that A in class, order your meals faster and make a better impression on those around you.

Anna Post: "Business Etiquette for the Digital Age"

2009-08-30T16:01:00.000-07:00

Anna Post, Emily Post’s great-great-granddaughter and an author and spokeswoman for The Emily Post Institute, taught a public business seminar on “Etiquette in the Digital Age” at Dartmouth College’s Rockefeller Center. I found the seminar on her blog, “What Would Emily Post Do?” and thought it was extremely informative, especially for those of us planning to immerse ourselves into the corporate world after college. She touches on the many ways we can use proper etiquette in the business environment and focuses on how proper etiquette helps you build solid relationships with those you encounter.

Watch her lecture on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWN1A2UiDjg&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fannapost%2Etypepad%2Ecom%2F&feature=player_embedded

Introduction

2009-08-30T14:48:00.000-07:00

I used to complain to my mother when she would make me sit down at the dinner table to write my thank-you notes on Christmas morning. While sitting at our huge dining room table, you have a great view of the family room, and every Christmas morning the room always looked like a hurricane had just plowed through with wrapping paper and new toys strewn every where. As a kid, writing those notes was like torture, having to sit at the table while my new presents stared at me from a far. After Christmas and birthdays every year the last thing a young girl wants to do is write letters when she has so many new toys to play with, but for years my mother and grandmother stressed the importance of proper etiquette to me and my siblings. Emily Post was a common household name, and the table was always set beautifully before we ate our meals together. I’m now a junior at the University of Florida, and while my mother isn’t here to make me “mind my manners,” I can still hear her in my head telling me to put the napkin on my lap and chew with my mouth closed. Thanks, Mom.

As a class assignment, I’ve been asked to start a blog about something that fascinates me. I find it fascinating that so many of my peers on campus don’t know who Emily Post is, or why it is so important to say thank you when someone holds the door for you. The lack of etiquette on college campuses blows my mind, so I thought I’d try to provide my peers with some easy ways to make a great impression on everyone they encounter. I’m certainly not saying that manners don’t exist on campus or that I use proper etiquette all of the time, but I do think we can all use a little reminding from time to time that using proper etiquette can help you make a killer first impression and brightens the day of those around you.
For those of you reading who don’t know who Emily Post is, check out her Web site. http://www.emilypost.com/