1. Always give a 20% or higher tip to your waiter/waitress.

This one I will always advocate and I cannot emphasize enough, especially to friends of mine. Their tips are their paycheck. On average, their hourly wage is $2.13 (and that is not including tax deductions). You never know what situation the waiter/waitress is in at the time they are serving you.

Working in this field I can tell you a lot of the time, it comes down to the kitchen when it comes to timing. Or, maybe the server has five other tables they are serving simultaneously. There were so many times while I was out with my friends back home that decided they didn't "want to tip because service wasn't that great anyways and/or they didn't want to pay extra." I always fought back saying, "If you can't pay, don't go out to get served on. Also, one day that YOU are in this position, I hope you feel one day how you are treating this waiter/waitress." Then, they would all leave and I would end up spotting everyone's tip so the amount was 20% or more.

Please be that person to fight your friends for a 20% tip and if they don't, spot it. Trust me, good karma will come your way.

2. Always say please and thank you.

This point should go without saying: say "please" and "thank you." I cannot express how many people I have grown up with that have never had "please" or "thank you" in their vocabulary. They just assumed that they were deserving. No matter how much money you have, you should always be grateful and thank those that give to you.

I thank my parents every day for giving me the opportunity to attend West Chester University and all of the blessings that come with it.

3. Always make direct eye contact if someone is speaking to you.

This is a huge pet peeve of mine that I cannot stress this enough.

Make. Eye. Contact.

From interviews, meetings, and even deep conversations. I have had people from my age to people I have served in the retirement home back home that never gave me eye contact when I was speaking to them. Their eyes would be fixated at looking out the window or at the floor.

My parents, growing up, would smack me upside the head (from the age of 8) if I wasn't looking at someone that was talking to me. They taught me that it was very disrespectful and it came across that I wasn't paying attention or listening to whoever was speaking. I agree with that statement today.

4. Be respectful, but don't let people walk over you.

There is a way to be respectful to your peers, but don't let anyone control or walk over you.

I have learned, in high school especially, to pick and choose your battles to fight. Sometimes, there are times it's not worth wasting your breath on someone who is too bullheaded to be open-minded. Like my grandfather used to say, "You can't rationalize with an irrational person."

However, there are times that you should stand up for what you believe and you can have a conversation without having to yell or curse to whoever you are talking to. There is a power within words alone, it's how you hold yourself and express it that shows your confidence.

5. Make your siblings/friends/family feel important.

It is one thing to know that someone is important to you, but to express it is another thing. Make sure to express your love to others. Go out of your way to express it through your actions or words.

Take one of your siblings out for ice cream.

Go to an art museum and take photos with a friend.

Make a beach trip with one of your family members.

Compliment those girls that didn't always give you the brightest of smiles.

Comment on that one person's Instagram something you admire about her, just so you can brighten her day, even if your day is down.

Tell that one close guy friend of yours that his haircut looks good on him, guys like hearing it just as much as girls do.

Be unnecessarily nice to people, I promise you honey you will never regret being too kind to someone in this world.