Appropriate business etiquette is expected of everyone, especially at important events such as

conferences or business meetings. In my opinion, a conference offers attendees an opportunity to show

professionalism, knowledge and job skills. In this report I would compare some of the information I have
found out about conference manners with what actually happened during a conference that I had the
opportunity to attend.

First of all, in my opinion, the most important thing during a conference is respect. You have to
respect the person who is talking, to pay attention and basically to treat them as you would like to be
treated. Speaking in front of an audience can be hard but speaking in front of an audience who is not
listening or doing something else is harder. But how can you be attentive when you are surrounded by
so many temptations? A lot of people keep their phones on the table during meetings but this is not the
best idea. Even if you aren't looking at your phone, it can get distracting if it starts lighting up or making
noises.

Secondly, asking questions at the end is a form of respect for the one who sustained the
presentation. However these have to be related to the subject. Moreover, you should ask them loud and
clear, not in private, because there might be other participants who are interested in finding the
answers. Taking notes is also a good idea as you can have your own summary of the conference and
they will help you have a better understanding of the subjects that have been approached.

During the conference I’ve attended, “The Future of Europe”, the majority of people payed
attention to the various topics that have been discussed, such as “The Black Swan of the Future of
Europe “. Furthermore, when each speaker was finished, people from the audience asked elaborate
questions. Another thing that I’ve observed and liked very much was that almost everyone had a
business attire and were taking notes or interacting with the speakers.

All in all, this conference was a great opportunity for me to learn more about conference
manners and etiquette and to start developing them. It was a very pleasant atmosphere and I’m sure
that not onle me, but everyone else had an excellent time.
1. After a long session of thinking I have chosen “Life is like a pencil. You can be sharpened, you
can correct mistakes, and you can leave a mark” as my life metaphor. Just like a pencil, in life
you will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going through various problems,
but you’ll need it to become a stronger person. Also, since you are human, you will definitely
make mistakes but you will be able to correct them and leave your mark on everything you
touch. However, this can be in a good way or a bad way, it all depends on you. Afterall there is a
quote I like very much “ The marks humans leave are too often scars.”

2. From the 3 stories the one that makes more sense to me is Luiza’s. First of all, because like me,
Luiza has low self-esteem. I often tend to underestimate myself and lose some opportunities. In
spite of this, she was able to choose an era of expertise, dress-making. Moreover, I found very
interesting her comparison between essay writing and dress-making, as at first sight they seem
to have nothing in common. I particularly liked the comparison between laying out a pattern
and drawing up an essay plan. The pieces of an argument fall logically into place just like the
pieces of a dressmaking pattern that have to be laid out.