Hey, guys! Welcome back. So, today's topic is party etiquette, and as you can probably guess from the headline it's about how to be the best *gasp* party guest ever! The purpose of this is to help you learn the prvoper (and let's be honest, the respectful) things to do at a party — or really, any sort of event. This doesn't relate to high school or college parties, it's for all in general. Even adults can get a little crazy, right?
1. Greet and thank your host.
This is probably going to be the most simplest thing you'll do all night. All you have to do is say "Hello, [host name]. Thanks for inviting me tonight!" Or you could go with a less formal greeting and just say "Hey, Bob! Thanks for the party!" A simple thank you shows that a) you're respectful, and b) you appreciate the hard work your host put into planning and decorating their party.
2. Come to the party with a little somethin'-somethin'.
This would generally regard special events such as family gatherings, birthday parties, BBQs, etc. You normally wouldn't show up with anything in hand to a house party because the tone of the night is casual, not fancy. And whatever item you bring doesn't have to be super expensive. A bag of chips, a jar of salsa, a special dish you learned from your grandmother when you were five — it can even be your speakers! What we all fail to understand is that the littlest things mean a whole to people.
3. Don't be a bystander.
Don't let wrong things go on. If you see an overly intoxicated friend at a house party being bothered by someone, go over and ask if somethings wrong. If you see a group of people stuffing jewlery into their pockets or breaking glass objects in the house don't just sit around and turn a blind eye. You should go over and tell those guys to put everything back and stop or if you want to avoid any altercations then find the host and let them know immediately. You would want someone to alert you if things were going wrong in your house so help them out.
4. Don't be obnoxious.
Be mindful of what you say and how you act. You shouldn't make comments about a person's appearance or a person's background. Don't degrade cultures and put down religions. You're surrounded by people of all cultures and all races, so you should be careful in how you word certain sentences. If you're an obnoxious person who only wants the attention and wants to prove they're the peacock with the prettiest feathers then you'll be the most disliked person at the party. Also, the ultimate reason you should not be doing this is because overrall it's just being rude.
5. Offer help.
If you see your party host with their hands on their face, sweat beading down their face or their eyes filled with anxiety, they are definitely feeling the stress that every party host feels at one point during the night. The reason for this stress induced anxiety is you and all the rest of the guests. Those who are drinking too much and getting a little handsy and those who are getting too rowdy and are breaking priceless antique furniture. So, as the respectful guest that you are you should run over to them and offer your help because they will mostly accept it.
These are some things I believe every party guest should go by when attending a house party or a family BBQ. Remember to treat those how you would want others to treat you. THAT'S ALL FOLKS!
