I'll be the first to admit that I grew up in a very privileged area and have experienced my fair share of not-so-polite people. Despite this, I like to think that I was raised well enough not to be one of them, though, of course, we all have our moments. But what makes someone less than polite and how do we fix it? Let me elaborate.

Have you ever met someone who seems to have good intentions but just can't seem to get it right? They often give less and expect a lot more, don't work very hard, and are, in a nutshell, privileged. There are different types of people like this, but in general, they tend to expect someone else to do the work for them and reap the same results; I'm sure you get what I mean. Here are some tips to being a decent human being (which, I'm sure, we all want to be!):

1. Always Return What You Borrow

Whether it's money, a shirt, or an egg, always return the favor within a week. If you borrowed clothing, for the love of god, be sure to wash it before you return it and if you can't afford to pay someone back, well, you shouldn't have borrowed the money in the first place but be sure to communicate with the lender.

2. Say Please and Thank You

It may seem simple, but these two words go a long way. Something we all learned as kids, the power of "please" and "thank you" is incredible. Don't demand, ask. Don't expect, appreciate. It'll bring a lot more happiness into your life.

3. Hold the Door For Others

I feel like this one is common sense but amazingly, I get the door shut in my face a little too often. The simple act of taking an extra four seconds, maybe, to hold the door open for the person behind you is an act of kindness and will leave both of you smiling. It's the little things, right?

4. Do the Dirty Work

So, your roommate has left the garbage full and you've taken it out the last four times. Or they left a mountain of dishes in the sink and continued to pile on the drying rack instead of emptying it. What are you going to do? Are you going to complain until someone else does it? No, you're going to do it yourself. Learn to do what you're supposed to do without wanting recognition for it. Learn to roll up your sleeves, swallow your pride, and just take the damn trash out. Let's be real, it's not that hard, so don't make it dramatic.

5. Go the Extra Mile

Let's say your roommate left all of their dishes for dinner in the sink, and you have a set of your own to wash. Rather than being petty, how about you do them a favor and rinse out the existing dishes. You may not get recognition for it, but it feels nice to have done something for someone else. Put your neighbor's wipers up when it snows. Send something with, "this reminded me of you."

6. Remember Birthdays

In this day and age, there's virtually no excuse to forget a birthday. It's on Facebook, it's on Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, hell, I even get a notification on Skype when it's my ex-boyfriend's birthday. Take two seconds out of your day to wish people a happy birthday; it really does make all the difference for them. Don't be 'that person' who forgot to wish their friend a happy birthday.

7. Send Cards

If someone gives you a gift, you give them a thank you card. Send cards for peoples' birthdays (refer to point #6) and send them cards during certain life events. I know it's an adult thing to do, but it's the right thing to do, and it's so freaking easy! Just do it.

8. Be On Time

Being late to anything is basically another way of saying, "I don't value your time as I'm going to show up whenever I want to regardless of what we agreed upon." I know it may sound extreme, but being late is a garbage move and shows disrespect to yourself and the other party. It's not that hard to be on time, and if you know you're going to be late, let the other person know in advance; it's just the right thing to do.

9. Get Off Your Phone

It's exactly what it sounds like... Stay off your phone! If you're hanging out with someone, give them your full attention. If you're out to eat or in to eat with your family or friends, literally set your phone down for an hour. You don't need to focus on anything more than the present moment. Focusing on your phone rather than your company is a sign of disrespect and says, "whatever I'm looking at is a hell of a lot more interesting than you," so just don't do it, at least not for long. Life is all about human connection, so make the most of it.

10. Stay True to Your Word

I'll be the first to admit that I'm the queen of changing plans, but I'm working on it every day, so this is a heavy note to self. Stop flaking on people and stay true to your word. If you have plans, follow through with them! And if you have to flake on someone, be honest with them about it. Don't sugarcoat it or make excuses, just learn, to be honest. It will bring a whole lot of ease into your life.