Two Wednesdays ago, the freshmen fellows had the opportunity to attend an etiquette dinner in one of the Dining Hall's glamorous banquet rooms (Yes, they exist). We were honored by the presence of Shannon Wilson, who over the course of a meal, discussed with us the proper way of conducting oneself at a formal dinner, especially in a business setting. From greetings, handshakes, and posture to how to hold utensils and pass bread around the table, we learned everything there is to know about how to make a good impression at a meal. She even taught us the ins and outs of both American and continental eating styles.
The biggest lesson that I learned was that in this type of formal setting, the meal is not about food. The goal is not to eat until you are full, which disappointed a few people and left many hungry (including myself). The main objective is to project oneself as a polite, cultured person who isn’t a slob. Once I shifted my perspective to making myself come off as professional as possible, I came to see it as a sort of challenge which I very much enjoyed. I, as well as the rest of the Shucker class, thoroughly enjoyed the experience and found it to be a useful exercise. Plus the cuisine quality food didn’t hurt either.
Carter Hunt:
“What do I do if I drop a piece of lettuce on the table?” “When can I start drinking from my glass?” “Am I really expected to chase the grapes on my plate with a fork?” “Am I allowed to ask for more bread?”
Perhaps not all of these questions are ones that we think of on a daily bases, but most of them have probably crossed our mind. But who do we ask, assuming we eventually muster up the courage to ask? This past Wednesday we learned the answers to all of the questions we never wanted to ask about dinner etiquette and so much more.
Shannon Wilson came in this past Wednesday and seemed to pick up where we left off from the week prior, showing us how to give a quality handshake. We were even told to dress “snappy casual” probably to test how well we had paid attention during the best of the best meeting. Yet the key difference was that as she was speaking and showing us how to shake a hand we were sitting around a dinner table, waiting for what most of would probably attest to be one of the best meals we have had at Furman.
We were able to enjoy a four course meal, three of which included food and the fourth being the lessons we learned on how to eat properly, and I would believe that this is going to compete heavily with the ropes course day for our best Shucker memory so far.
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