HELP University students being served at Lafite Restaurant, Shangri-la Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.
As the saying goes, first impressions matter.
People take only a few seconds to make a judgement upon first meeting someone. This is why at HELP University, all students will be taught proper deportment and etiquette before they graduate, so that they will be able to stand out in the crowd and shine with confidence wherever they are.
Etiquette is the rules indicating the proper and polite way to behave.
It helps us to know how to treat others, to make people feel comfortable and at ease, and shows that we value and respect them. It also promotes kindness, consideration, and humility. It gives us the confidence to deal with different situations in life, and it teaches us life skills.
Children are taught proper etiquette when they are young, such as saying thank you and please, and not chewing with their mouths open, to learn how to share and be polite. So that when they grow up they know how to behave.
But at school or university, and sometimes even at home, many people are not taught, or have the opportunity to learn the different social rules and etiquette, such as business etiquette, dining etiquette, grooming and deportment, email etiquette, and the right social skills. The list goes on.
It’s important to be able to feel confident and know how to behave when one is in a social or professional setting, so that one doesn’t feel awkward, and end up unintentionally insulting another person, especially someone from another culture.
Etiquette is a set of essential social skills that, when thoughtfully practised, smooths the path of daily activity, work, and play. This behaviour includes the common courtesies of life that many have forgotten or may not have learned at all.
This etiquette course which will be embedded into the Mata Pelajaran Pengajian Umum (MPU 4), a qualification that all Malaysian and International undergraduate students from private universities in Malaysia must complete.
Which means, learning good etiquette is compulsory at HELP.
Etiquette 101 topics are therefore included in the MPU 4 offered at HELP University.
To enable students to understand and practise the essentials of etiquette in common social and business situations, there are skills that will be taught which will be beneficial to lifelong learning.
Some of the topics that will be taught include common courtesies, first impressions, grooming and make-up, business etiquette, email etiquette, dining etiquette, and online class etiquette.
This course, which promises to be fun and engaging, will provide hands-on exercises on the different dining etiquettes of the world, culminating with a fine dining experience at one of the top French restaurants in the country, Lafite Restaurant in Shangri-la Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.
When graduates start working, they may need to attend banquets or social gatherings. Proper table manners are therefore very important. In addition to great job performance, having good dining etiquette helps to establish their credibility and reputation.
Emily Post, who is famous for her writing on etiquette said: “To make a pleasant and friendly impression is not only good manners, but equally good business.”
More than just tertiary education, HELP University aims for its students to graduate with a much-needed skill that is missing in most universities’ curriculum. These are lifelong soft skills, which are very important for success in life.
It is not just about learning how to eat with the correct fork or spoon, but learning how to behave in different settings, and most importantly to gain that personal confidence so that students can step up into the world and stand out amongst others.
For more information on HELP University and HELP Academy, visit www.help.edu.my or call 03-2716 2000.
