“Not another COVID-19 article,” one might think.

Guess what, it is, but I won’t be listing statistics of deaths or recoveries; no no, this is a refresher course on “How to Act”. 

As the country moves towards a more COVID-19 free atmosphere, evidenced by the amended social restrictions (thank you, Prime Minister Andrew Holness); there are a few reminders we all need to hear before discharging into the wild world of different social events.

Yes, social etiquette exists, and I fear we might have lost it due to social distancing for more than a year.

Our Today here lists five recommendations suggested by online publication 303 Magazine.

Respect Boundaries

I’m sensing a lot of sexual tension here.

Fact is, whenever the entertainment industry does open up, there are going to be a lot of drunk people.

Don’t go hovering over a stranger, it is important to respect everyone’s personal space.

For the love of God, do not get drunk and grope a stranger’s leg, some patrons are actually taking a risk to attend a sold-out, full capacity event post-COVID-19.

If someone’s not ready to get that up close and personal, then be the friendly neighbour or stay being a stranger who just looks.

Don’t Ask for a Guest List Spot

“Be ye considerate,” they say.

The entertainment industry got hit the hardest this past year, no live music, no parties, the industry came to a complete halt, where careers literally flatlined before their eyes.

Post-COVID, when they get their jobs back, are you really going to ask for a free pass?

Don’t be the person who’s asking for favours or handouts.

If you really want to attend an event, consider actually paying for it.

Don’t Share Drinks

Don’t share drinks?

Don’t share anything at all, e-cigarettes, joints, nothing, you might have just caught COVID from your ‘dawg’ or ‘b*tch.’

After all, not everyone got the vaccine, and though the majority has, did CDC or WHO give us the all clear that the vaccinations are 100 per cent all-clear?

#TreadLightly

We’re smart enough and have enough information about the general idea of transmission to know that all of us drinking out of the same cup or sucking from the same vape pen will most likely not end well. 

Swapping spit over and over again is risky enough without this big, bad virus going around.

We’ll all be a little wiser if we keep our drinks, etcetera, to ourselves.

Bring Tip Money

The entertainment industry wasn’t the only sector affected this past year, the service industry (which includes your favourite bartender, waiter or waitress) was affected greatly by the different curfew times and lockdowns when they’re used to being open 24/7.

If you go out in a group and each person gives a tip of J$100 or J$200, you will make the bartender’s night, or whoever your server was.

If you’re alone, J$1,000 wouldn’t hurt, right? 

I’m actually serious, the hard work to serve one person is equally as hard as serving four.

#TIPTIP 

Be Kind

Some people might be suffering from social anxiety, you’ll never know.

Each and every one of us is figuring out how to place ourselves back in society, and a lot of us lost touch with our social cues during the pandemic. 

We’re all feeling a little weird and kind of funky, so the biggest thing we can all continue to remind ourselves of is to be kind and be patient.

Don’t push in lines or in the audience. 

If someone does something to irritate you, remember that we’re all still figuring it out and getting acquainted with being fully sociable again. 

Yes, I’m saying ‘be the Bigger Person’.

Know that you want to see this concert as badly as the next person and that we’re all in this together. 

The show will go on, and you can make it a more positive and easy experience for yourself and others by being cool, calm and collected. If not, just find another spot to enjoy yourself.

Now that you have all these social cues to assist you back into the world of blinding lights, where will you go first?