Posting party pics to social media
Remember that feeling you had back in the day when everyone was invited to Jack’s blowout birthday party except you? Well, adults may get bigger but they don’t grow out of feeling sad to be left out.
Avoid sharing pics of you and your friends at a big party unless everyone on your social media page is on your invite list. Want to share the fun anyway? Try sharing pictures of only yourself or uploading images from the party on the Facebook page of the party or on a photo album that is posted privately.
Texting while talking to someone else
We’re all guilty of irritating texting habits, however, one takes the cake. You know very well what we mean: an alert notifies us of a text when talking to someone, so we choose to take a quick look and type a quick response. It only takes five seconds, no harm, no foul, right? Not so much.
Looking away from the person you’re talking to, just briefly, shows them they’re not your focus right now and makes them feel like you’re not listening. Ignore phone notifications sounds during an in-person conversation.
“Forgetting” to pick up your dog’s poop
There’s nothing more disturbing than seeing a pile of animal waste desecrating your favorite public park, a sidewalk or (worst of all) on your own lawn. It’s crazy how many pet owners pretend not to see their dog’s dump, and choose to walk away instead. Make sure you carry waste bags with you at all times and pick up after your little furry friend.
Their mess is now your duty, that is just part of being a dog owner.
Letting the door slam shut behind you without looking
Forget about chivalry; we’re talking about simple human dignity. You don’t have to keep the door open for ten minutes while everyone else is coming in, but after walking through it, see if you are about to slam the door in someone’s face. You can get a quick look over your shoulder. It’s well worth the two seconds it takes to keep it open to the next person.
Not saying hi to the receptionist
It has been said that a great man shows his greatness in the way he treats small men. Politeness and respect is not something that we reserve only for those we see above us but for people in general, period.
Take the time to say hello to the receptionist, thank the nursing assistant, give the bus driver a small talk, and try to help the cashier. You’re going to learn a lot and you never know when you’re going to need them on your side.
Leaving your grocery cart in the middle of the parking lot
It was quite a long day. It is really hot outside. You are exhausted. The cart corral is too far away. We get it. But there is still no reason to leave your cart in the middle of a parking spot— especially when walking your cart back is a quick way to sneak more steps into your day.
This not only prevents any (equally tired and hot) customers from using the place, but you’re forcing a (also tired and hot) bagger to come out and clean up after you. Don’t be that kind of person, it’s not nice.
Leaving a pile of clothes on the fitting room floor
Shopping for new clothes is fun, but after all the trying-on, posing for friends, and squatting in front of the mirror (those leggings are opaque right?) you’re left with something that could feel like a chore: hanging up all that stuff and taking it out to the back rack.
It’s all too easy to leave the rejected items in a heap on the floor and just continue shopping in another store. But the seller isn’t your mom or maid so they don’t want to pick you up after you. Additionally, other shoppers won’t know if the room is available. Hang your stuff up and carry them out when you’ve finished.
Using big words you know other people won’t understand
The right word is selected and then the Word Of The Day skills show up. It’s totally cool if you love words and love expressing yourself just so. But if you just pull out your ten-dollar words to look smarter than anyone else, then you’re going to look like a jerk. It is a thin line between eloquent and blowhard elocutionist.
Using your speaker phone in public
We can’t stress enough just how important this is. Speaking loudly in your Bluetooth headset or putting your phone on a speaker while shopping, riding a bus in your way to work or while having lunch in a restaurant is a sure-fire way to make everyone around hate you. Nobody needs to hear your conversations in private; that’s what messaging is for.
Eating in front of others without offering to share
A lot of not looking like a jerk comes down to having good manners and a lot of those manners are about food. Eating something delicious when you’re out with your friends or colleagues without offering to share is a class-A jerk pass. But most of us do know how to offer to share out food.
Nonetheless, when dining out, the same rule applies — wait until everyone’s food is served before digging in.
