Manners, polite attitude will lead to successful life

by Stepfanie Romine

My mother taught me manners. That's more than I can say for the majority of people today.

That statement might seem a little harsh, but after some recent observations, I think Miss Manners and Emily Post soon will be unemployed. Manners have been all but forgotten.

Yesterday in my media ethics class, some students (myself included) gave presentations about their final papers. It was not a requirement, but the instructor wanted us to discuss some topics he had not covered in class.

While I gave my presentation, I noticed one girl sitting with her feet on the chairs in front of her, reading a magazine and paying absolutely no attention. While my ego was not hurt, and I understood she might have no interest in my presentation, I was amazed at her rudeness. And as the presentations continued, she and her friends continued talking ­ not whispering, but talking loudly enough I could hear them over the speaker ­ and reading their magazines, still oblivious that students were speaking in front of the class.

As if that was not rude enough, about halfway through the class, in the middle of another presentation, a handful of students left class, one by one. But instead of waiting for a break in between speakers, they chose to leave in the middle of a presentation.

Classrooms are not the only location where etiquette and common courtesy are lacking. On the street, at the library, even in museums, people continue to amaze me with their lack of respect.

This weekend I went to Washington, where I visited, among other places, the Holocaust Museum. As my boyfriend, best friend and I entered the Hall of Remembrance, a place designated for quiet thought, prayer and reflection, we were disturbed by a person talking loudly — on a cell phone. My friends and I looked at one another, and then my friend Jen went over to the man and asked him very directly to leave the area. She told him this was not the place for his conversation, among people crying, praying and paying their respects.

As the man and his wife walked away, he obviously was a little upset — not for his action, but that my friend had the nerve to disrupt him!

Now, I sometimes forget my manners; I am not always polite and ladylike. But I say please and thank you, I send thank-you notes and I avoid cell-phone use in public. That might make me old fashioned, but I think it is a worthy sacrifice.

I have had friends' parents tell me I am incredibly polite and courteous. I credit that to my mother and grandmothers, who did a phenomenal job of instilling these values in me. You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar, and I believe that wholeheartedly. These women are some of the most well mannered I have ever encountered.

So for those of you who were not so lucky to have been taught manners, here are a few tips to abide by, without exception:

            1. Say please, thank you and you're welcome. Simple, huh? You would be surprised at how infrequently those words are heard.

            2. Cover your mouth when you sneeze, cough, yawn, etc. No one wants to see your tonsils, and no one wants to catch your germs.

            3. Do not talk during classes, speeches or movies. Whatever you have to say can wait.

            4. Reserve cell-phone conversations for a time when you are not surrounded by total strangers. I do not want to hear about your loser boyfriend, your Uptown escapades or your roommate horror stories.

            5. Do not chew your gum loudly. And chew with your mouth closed. You are not a cow chewing its cud.

            6. Feet belong on the floor. Not on the chair in front of you. And certainly not on desks or tables.

            7. Do not groom yourself in public. No hair brushing, nose powdering or teeth picking. Excuse yourself to the restroom or another private place.

            8. Use utensils. That is why they were invented.

            9. Do not leave in the middle of a class. You are here to go to class. It is incredibly rude and disrespectful to interrupt classes just because you find them boring.

            10. Be nice. I cannot think of a catchy No. 10, so I am just going to say be nice. It would solve a lot of the world's problems if the world were nicer.

I am by no means perfect. I have been known to put my feet on the coffee table, leave a class once or twice (though I always felt guilty) and talk on my cell phone in public. But I try. And I always say please and thank you.

— Romine is a junior journalism and French major who is really a nice person. She hopes you will learn the definition of (and learn to conduct yourselves with) decorum. She can be reached at princessstepf@yahoo.com