Presentation courtesy

When you are going to a presentation that is for a community, please remember that there are certain courtesies that you must consider because yes, the event might be free to attend, but there are guidelines that you should respect because there are others that are attending the event as well.

1. Silence your device – it is important that you silence your device so that it doesn’t interpret the presenter or any other attendee. Just putting your device on vibrate and then putting it on a table isn’t respecting those around you because it will disturb others around you.
2. Food and how much to take – yes, the food might be available for free because you are attending the event but make you that you are taking just a reasonable amount and not taking what could look you are taking stuff home to have later on. For example, if the pizza is party size, please remember that taking over 4 slices are going to be noticed even if you go back two, three or four times because people will notice you. When you end up taking 12 pieces of pizza people are going to wonder where you are putting all of that.
3. Arriving after presentations have start – mark sure you walk in quietly and DO NOT go and pick up pizza and pop because you are interfering with the presentation and not showing courtesy to the presenter or other attendees. Yes, you might want to have some pizza, but you are going to have to wait until there is a break and then you can get some pizza. I know, it is going to be cold by then, but you know when the presentations start so if you want to ensure you get warm pizza make sure you show up early. If you are thinking that the pizza is so important, it isn’t because you are not just showing disrespect to the presenter you are also disrespect to other attendees because you are blocking their view of the presentation.
4. Getting pizza at break or just before presentations start – if you are someone that is taking some pizza but before presentations start or during break make sure that you close the lid of the pizza box because you are blocking part of the screen from others that are attending the presentation.
5. Clean up after yourself - another thing that is extremely important is to make sure that you clean up after yourself at these events. A lot of the spaces are donated and one of the rules is leave the place as you found it. If the garbage can is full in the room where the event is being held, take the garbage out and find another garbage can because there are going to be other garbage cans out in the hall.

Yes, a lot of community presentations are there for a community, but you also have to show that you respect both the presenter and other attendees. Make sure that if you want to be part of the community make sure you show up ahead of the scheduled presentation time and if you can’t do that just come in quietly and take a seat and at break you can then enjoy any pizza and/or pop that remains.