Etiquette can relate to millions of things, from eating salad to dressing for interviews.  Etiquette, roughly defined, means the practices that are said to be acceptable social behavior.  Etiquette can be defined by general society or a certain group in a certain situation (for example, the proper way to act around your boyfriend’s parents is not the same way you would act around his younger sister).  But regardless of the situation, etiquette always calls for one thing for sure: respect.  Whether it’s a little thing, like saying “thank you” after a person gives you something, or a bigger thing, like knowing the proper way to throw a five course dinner party, a little etiquette can go a long way. 

Here are some traditional rules of conduct:

Dating Etiquette

Age
I know it’s difficult to accept when your parents refuse to let you begin dating. You totally have a crush on this guy or girl and get asked out. You excitedly tell your parents about the plans for the date night only to be shot down by the word “No”. Dating age really depends on the family, but from the viewpoint of what’s appropriate or not, once you become a teenager, provided you are responsible and mature enough to handle dating, let the dating begin. A lot of parents won’t allow dating until you’re 16 years-old, are driving, or going off to college. Others don’t want to know about it, and yet some parents leave it up to the teen to decide when he or she is ready. Unfortunately, in some families the son gets to start dating before the daughter – but double standards are another issue because generally girls mature faster than boys.

Curfew
Teens don’t like to be told what time they have to be home. They feel that as long as they are safe and being responsible, curfew shouldn’t be such a big issue. Parents have a different perspective of what goes on between teenagers – from the drinking, drugs and having sex, it’s no wonder they are protective of their precious children. To be fair, discuss what you think is an appropriate curfew, come to an agreement, and stick to it. Breaking curfew will not help you when it’s time to negotiate a new time. Meeting curfew however, will show your parents how responsible you are and respectful your date is for having your home on time.

Money
Ok, traditionally people expected the guy to pay for everything on a date. Some restaurants even had “ladies menus” which would omit the price of meals. “Going Dutch” a.k.a. Dutch date or Dutch treat is the concept of each person paying for him or herself. This is really up to the couple. Some feel that on a romantic date it’s proper for the guy to pay (and cheap if he doesn’t), and others feel as though this is old-fashioned. Since the start of feminism however, it has become more widely accepted if women pay their way.

You should feel free to be completely honest about what you can afford. If a person is treating you, carry money just in case. If your date is running short, you can offer to help and avoid an embarrassing moment. If you are just out with friends, then everyone should pay for themselves unless it’s a special occasion like someone’s birthday. Another idea is to alternate who pays so that each person gets a turn.

Parents
Meeting the parents can be an anxiety-inducing occasion. Of course you want to make a good first impression. Be polite and just be yourself. If your parents are meeting a date for the first time, remind them to keep the conversation light and to not ask difficult questions. They don’t want to intimidate or embarrass the person – or maybe they do.

Saying “No”
There is nothing wrong with refusing a date. Don’t feel as though you have to go out with someone just because he or she asks. However, it’s important to be kind and tactful when you refuse a date. If you have other plans, say that you are sorry but you have a prior engagement. If the person persists and asks about another time, invite him or her to a group thing. This way, the pressure is off – but this could be interpreted as rejection, so be careful with the person’s feelings. Saying you’re not interested is another option if you really don’t want to hang out with that particular person.

Saying “Goodnight”
If you drop a person off, make sure that he or she is safely inside before leaving. If you are invited inside, accept only if it’s a reasonable hour, and you are quite sure the parents won’t mind. Same goes for inviting someone into your home after a date.

Transportation
He is driving so the polite thing to do is meet the girl at her door. The girl should not keep her date waiting, (contrary to the belief that if you are ready, you look too eager). When they are getting into the car, he can open the door for her, although many girls don’t expect that nowadays.

She is driving so there is a chance that she will meet his parents. If she chooses to let him drive, he should get permission from her parents (if it’s their car).

The driver is responsible for the safety of his or her passengers. You obviously know not to drive while intoxicated or ride with someone under the influence.

Dining Decorum
There is a right and wrong way to set a table, serve food, clear a table, and eat. Whether you are eating in the comfort of your own kitchen or dining room, the guest at a dinner party or eating out at a restaurant, these rules are to be followed:

• No elbows on the table while eating
• Sit erect; don’t lean back in your chair
• Place your napkin in your lap prior to eating
• Do not make slurping noises with your soup
• Don’t spit food out –put it back on your fork and place it on the edge of your plate

There are so many more rules of etiquette from the way your place your silverware in the “rest” or “finished” position, to the way you drink your soup (tip the bowl AWAY from you and fill your spoon – you may drink the last bit). Learning to be a well-mannered dinner guest – without putting on “airs” – will make it a more comfortable affair.

Driving Manners

Considerate Driving
Nobody likes a road hog, rude or reckless driver. Not only is obeying traffic laws important, but so is being courteous on the road – it may prevent accidents or injuries. Use your turning signal, do NOT jam on your breaks, and drive in the correct lane– don’t jump across lanes just in time to make a turn. Don’t be rude and blow your horn or flash your headlights obnoxiously at other drivers. Tailgating is a definite driving no, no. 
 
Accidents Happen
If you hit a car, kindly pull over when possible and exchange information. Don’t yell or curse at the other driver whether or not it was your fault. Call the police, to file a report as well. If you hit a parked car, and the driver is not present, proper etiquette tells you to leave a note of apology with your contact information.

Polite Telephoning

Making the Call
You don’t want to disturb anyone, so unless a person is expecting your call, avoid telephoning at indecent hours. Generally you don’t want to phone a person before 7AM or after 10PM, and you want to steer clear of mealtimes (this does not apply to cell phones which are most likely answered by the desired person). Confirm the phone number before dialing so you don’t disturb a stranger. If you do, apologize and politely say that you have the wrong number. It is polite to present your name before asking for the intended person. Speak clearly and loudly enough so the person on the other end can hear you. Facial expression and gestures obviously can’t be seen so it’s up to the speaker to be clear and succinct.

Answering the Tele
“Hello” is quite simple and the most appropriate way to answer a phone. Ask for the caller’s name if it wasn’t said, then say “speaking” or “just a moment please” depending on with whom the caller wishes to speak. If the intended person is not unavailable, tell the caller that so-and-so can’t come to the phone, get his or her name and number and say they will get a call back when the person becomes available.

Cell Phone Behavior
Cell phones can be annoying to people. If they are ringing loudly in public places  like a restaurant, the library, a movie theater, or even church it is disturbing to people. People also tend to speak more loudly on cell phones. Not everyone wants to hear about last night’s blind date from hell.