April 2009
Feature
Page 5
‘When looking for a mate, what are
some qualities to look for? Some may say
honesty, intelligence, and a sense of humor.
One qualitiy that does not necessarily come
to mind quickly is etiquette. According to
dictionary.com, “Etiquette is a system of
rules and conventions that regulate social
and professional behavior.” It can be re-
ferred to as the “proper” way of living life.
There are many different types of eti-
quette. However, the most common forms
of etiquette that people need to be more
educated on are dating, table manners, and
black tie occasions. Have no fear, Shonna’s
guidelines are here! By following these
guidelines of etiquette, one will no longer
doubt himself or herself when faced with
preparing to go on a date, eating at a fancy
restaurant, or being the host or guest at an
elegant event.
Dating can be a nerve-racking experi-
ence, especially if one does not have any
experience in the dating field. However,
there are basic guidelines that everyone
must follow when getting prepared for a
date. The first guideline is to be on time.
Being on time is crucial when goingona
date. It shows respect for the prospective
date if one would take the time to show up
early. By being on time, one will be doing
his or her date a favor, so he or she will not
have to go through the stress of possibly
being stood up. Women greatly appreciate
when their dates are on time.
Another guideline to keep in mind be-
fore going on a date is to make sure to dress
well. In this day in age with all of these
fashion shows and magazines, there is abso-
lutely no excuse for someone not to look
decently. Men, take the time out to iron
clothes, and women, take the time to buy
clothes that actually fit! One must also con-
sider the occasion of the date. There is
nothing more embarrassing than going to
play laser tag, wearing stilettos and a mini-
dress. This is a big fashion no-no. Also, one
would not want to be caught at a fancy res-
taurant wearing a sweat suit and a fitted
cap. Not only is this embarrassing, but this
_ can-also create unwanted attention.
Along with dressing up and being on
time, there are other things that one should
consider for a date. Most people have been
were not attracted to their date. What does
line when dating is to give everyone a good
chance. Although one may not be physi-
cally attracted to yourdate, this is no excuse
to.be rude or to run away from the date. We
are all human beings, and we have feelings.
Physical appearance is only one asset to a
person. The more one gets to know his or
her date, the more likely that there will be a
common interest between the two. The say-
ing really does hold true: “Don’t judge a
book by its cover.” Let’s say by chance that
there is nothing of common interest be-
tween the two. Some men may decide to
talk about themselves the whole night be-
cause they are not interested in what their
dates may have to say. This will only lead
should not talk about themselves the whole
night
If one is not interested in the person that
he or she may be with on a date, do not say
those magical words of “I will call you.” By
that he likes the person whom he just went
out on a date with. A woman will con-
stantly wait by the phone until he calls.
Into You” says, “Maybe he lost my number
or is out of town or got hit by a cab.”
Women are often in denial. They make ex-
cuses as to why he has not called yet.
Woman should not put themselves through
this stress and should just move on. He is
just a guy, and there are plenty of fish in the
sea. :
In today’s society, people are so quick
to slurp up their food and burp so noncha-
lantly that they do not realize that it is bad
table manners. Truth be told, many Ameri-
cans do not have table manners. America is
not even looked at as having manners
through media, as well as other countries.
On VH1, there are shows such as Charm
School and From G’s To Gents. People on
these shows are depicted as having no class
and are in serious need of help in being the
respectable young men and women that
they should be! While I do appreciate their
efforts, it is right for tbhem to represent the
American citizens.
Many do not like going to restau-
rants because they feel it is complicated,
especially where the silverware is con-
cerned. “Table etiquette makes me really |
confused because I do not know when to
use what fork or spoon first.
It is a lot of work, and that’s why I don’t
go to real fancy restaurants. I was not even
taught about these kinds of
thing” (Graham). Graham noted that be-
cause she grew up in the projects, she never
had the opportunity to go to a fancy restau-
rant, so sometimes it is not that people do
not want to learn proper etiquette; it is that
they have no occasion to learn. For people
who have never been taught table manners, -
not knowing what to do. However, the rules
of table etiquette are fairly simple. A key
guideline of how to have proper table eti-
quette at a restaurant is to know when to
use each utensil. For starters, always work
from the outside in. First are the appetizer
plate and then the main course. The outer-
most utensils to be used are the appetizer
fork and then the dinner plate fork. The
same guideline applies with the spoons. The
outermost spoon is the soup spoon, the sec-
ond spoon is for the dinner plate, and the
third spoon is for dessert. If one remembers
to always start from the outside and work
in, one will exhibit great table etiquette.
In addition to having great table eti-
quette, one must also learn the basic guide-
lines of how to conduct himself of herself
while at an event. Whether one is hosting or
attending a party, one must always maintain
black tie etiquette. "Model the behavior in
your everyday life in a way that always re-
flects how you would like to be
treated" (Pulsifer). At a black tie occasion,
one would be upset if someone came to a
party being rude to everyone and not
dressed appropriately. Therefore, it is im-
portant for the host to remain in good stand-
ing and model the behavior that one would
like the guests to portray. To elaborate on
Pulsifer’s point, take these next guidelines
into great consideration. The first black tie