It's safe to say that each of us has experienced that awkward moment of walking around campus, seeing someone you know and not knowing the social etiquette of how to acknowledge them. Here is a list of the different ways you can respond to this situation.
1. The Smile
This is the best bet when the person you see is nothing but an acquaintance or someone you vaguely know but still want to seem polite toward them. Always go for this approach when you aren't sure if the other person sees you as well. Out of all your responses, this is the least incriminating, you could be smiling at anyone!
2. The Nod
Similar to the smile, this is for someone you want to know that you are acknowledging them. But, you do not feel the need to talk to them or actually do anything besides acknowledge their presence. The only exception to that rule is for guys. Nodding is much more common between two guys even if they know one another well.
3. The Half Wave
This may be hard to name, but we all know what it is. This is the simple raising of the arm about half way. Due to its easiness and simplicity, this reaction is best for friends from class who you sometimes talk to or for people you live with but do not hang out with very much. Pretty much do the half wave if you know the person well enough to talk to if you are randomly in line but honestly don't really think you could hang out with them for long periods, or if you have not talked to them in a while.
4. The Hey
Deciding whether or not to say "hey" to someone may be the hardest decision on this list. On paper, it may not be that hard of a decision, but the problem is that a hey can mean many different things. It can be a what's up hey, an acknowledgement hey, a flirty hey, a don't talk to me hey and so on and so forth. Due to its ambiguous nature, the best advice I can give is that you only say hi if you do not mind having a conversation with that person. You do not have to have time to talk to them in the moment, but in general, you are okay or like talking with them. A hi, what's up or hello are okay instead of a hey as well.
5. The Hug Or High-5
Physically greeting a person with a hug or high-5, is only acceptable if this person is a legitimate friend. This type of greeting is saved for those of your inner circle: no more explanation is needed.
6. The Phone
This is for the person you don't really like or don't know well. You aren't sure if you should acknowledge them because they might not recognize you, or you don't want to deal with or talk to this person. If you run into any of these people please pick up your phone, scroll through anything and pretend you didn't see anyone. This trick works for any type of person you see.
7. The Friend
If you happen to run into someone and you don't want to look awkward, do your best to find another friend around you to talk to. With this method you don't look like you're awkward, uncomfortable or a jerk. With this method it looks like you have friends. It's a fool proof method in almost any situation. But only if there's a friend near you.
With this guide, I wish you luck finding your way around campus.
