Disclaimer: Please read with caution. This article is meant to be a funny satire. The opinions expressed in this article do not reflect the authors’ or Her Campus BC’s feelings towards or positions on any of the topics covered below. Thank you for your understanding. (But it’s also kind of serious!)
This summer was great. I got to attend theater shows and go to the movies, among other activities. However, being surrounded by lots of people irked me sometimes due to their rude behavior. I’m no angel myself, but I try to be as well-mannered as I can, and I hope that others do too. While we no longer live in a society full of strict social protocols, basic manners are still important! I think it is time that we went over vital manners to keep in mind in different situations.
1. Movies: Don’t talk during a movie! This is so simple to do. After the trailers, the movie theater even reminds you that silence is golden. I’m a talkative person, so I know how much you might want to comment on what you see on the screen, but save it for after the movie. The rest of the theater would thank you as well. It is so frustrating to pay $15 (movies are expensive these days) just to sit through unwanted commentators surrounding you. And you especially shouldn’t be having a regular conversation about your life, that’s even worse! I came to a matinee once and was psyched that there were only four other people in the room, but it was so annoying hearing two elderly women discussing their lives behind me! Again, elderly women, not even teenagers!
Speaking of teenagers, I’ve seen groups of high school kids come in, sit in a circle on the floor, talk to each other, and look at their phones. That’s pretty much putting everything rude one could possibly do into one pile. Please, don’t talk, and don’t use your phone. I’m pretty sure that text message can wait, and your bright screen is visible to everyone.
Lastly, be careful with your snacks. While popcorn is lots of fun and cinemas make tons of money from it, please be kind enough to chew with your mouth closed. I don’t think the chewing goes well with the movie’s sound track. Likewise, try to open your wrappers as quietly as possible.
2. Theaters: Ah, I love dressing up fancy and attending the theater like a sophisticated, intellectual person! Especially if it’s a ballet performance – those are my favorite. Theater manners are basically identical to movie manners – don’t talk, put away your phones, and be careful with your food. However, at the theater, your bad behavior is a lot worse because the tickets were way more expensive, so no one needs or wants all of your rudeness. Plus, it’s supposed to be fancy.
Also, try to dress nicely. No one wears ball gowns to the theater anymore, like the aristocracy used to do. However, showing up in yoga pants or your workout clothes is probably not the best idea. Treat it like a night out!
3. Living with others: I’ve been lucky to have awesome roommates at BC. Not only are they my good friends, but they’re also easy to live with! That is because, for the most important, we have decent manners. The most important manner here is to clean up after yourself. Don’t leave your dirty dishes in the sink, crumbs on the table, or mud from your shoes all over the floors for the rest of your roommates. It’s simply rude on your part and quite the unpleasant experience on everyone else’s. It shouldn’t be that hard to wash your dishes, or at least put them in the dishwasher. If your roommate took out the trash one day, take it out the next. If you brushed your hair and there are now hairballs everywhere, throw them out. (Especially us girls, this happens all the time.) Although we want to act like kids, our lovely mothers or elves are not in our dorms waiting to clean up after ourselves, so it’s time to get to work.
4. Hanging out with friends/ going on a date: As hard as this may be, and a bit repetitive as far as this article goes, put down your phone! Your friends want to spend time with you, not with your nose stuck in your phone. Obviously if you need to send out a text or an important phone call, excuse yourself and do that. You don’t have to pretend like it’s the 1800s and there are no such things as cell phones. However, if you’re going to play 2048 while your friends or date are talking to you, then I have no words to explain how rude that is.
Also, if this is a larger group, don’t be exclusive or cliquey. Sure, you might have that one friend that you secretly, or not so secretly, like more, but no need to make the others feel like they’re not as worthy of your attention. Besides, those others friends could be just as good, if not better, than your best friend, so why not gain another best friend? Try to be inclusive instead of exclusive… no mean girls allowed.
Lastly, don’t chew with your mouth open and try not to burp. So not lady like. That is all I will say on that topic.
I know I sound pretty cynical and maybe not very well mannered since I’m bringing up what everyone else should do. But I take all of these suggestions into consideration as well. I am optimistic that if all of us took some time to focus on our manners, life would be easier and better. Additionally, there would be less grouches complaining about bad manners. Just pretend you’re having tea with her royal highness and that should set you on the right path!
Photo Sources:
http://sabreenakaur.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/good-manners.jpg
http://media2.s-nbcnews.com/i/streams/2014/January/140102/2D11004909-today-movie-theater-140102.jpg
http://whitsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/life-007-10102013.jpg
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02449/teacup_2449961b.jpg