? 
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The nicer you are to your parents, the nicer they
will be to you (for the most part).
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Make friends as soon as possible with a new
neighbor. You have no idea how much this will ease certain encounters
in the future. It's easier to have a big party or just generally be loud
in your room if you know that the upstairs (or wherever) neighbor is cool
with you.
++
Make friends at the university. This is especially
important for you career-minded individuals. Getting on a professor's
good side is one of the most important things you can do at university.
If you see someone sitting in the lunch room by themselves and they aren't
studying or doing homework, go sit at their table and talk to them. Get
their name and what they're studying and BAM, you've got an aquaintance.
Then, when you see them around campus/town again, say 'hi'.
++
Even though you may be nervous about talking
to random people, the worst you can get is "Go away."
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Making friends with janitors at school is
a great hint. Feel like having a day off school? Do it. He'll write you
a note, because even though he's kinda weird, he's pretty cool.
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If you're in a large group that's singing,
and you know the tune of the song but not the words, you can just mouth
"Watermelon" over and over. No one watching will be able to tell, except
the deaf.
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Guys, when everything is going perfectly
with your relationship, send your girlfriend flowers or a Vermont Teddybear.
If you can do it well, cook her a surprise meal.
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If you're standing in a line at the grocery
store or wherever, turn to the person behind you and make small talk.
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Do not
buy your girlfriend or wife flowers in an attempt to make nice after you
pissed her off. Every time she looks at the flowers, she will just be
reminded that you pissed her off, unless she has the memory span of a
goldfish.
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If you occasionally feel like feeding the
hungry looking guy with the sign at the intersection, don't give him money.
Your desire to help him get some hot food may end up being exploited to
get things you don't intend. Carry meal coupons to local restraunts. Its
real hard to exchange a $5.00 Quiznos coupon for alchohol or drugs, but
it will get them a toasted sub.
++
Learn to apologize. Swallow your pride and
do it. It will make your life so much better in the end.
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Repair your messed up relationships if at
all possible.
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If you're at a party and you don't know anyone,
make it a point to meet the host and introduce yourself. The host can
introduce you to other guys/girls and it scores you points so you get
invited back.
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Don't loan money to friends.
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Spend some effort staying in touch with friends.
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If you're in a foreign country, never assume
that a particular type of humor is universal. Your clever sarcastic comment
might not go over well at all if the listener isn't familiar with the
concept of sarcasm.
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Remember when you were little and were intimidated
by adults and big kids? Play with little kids and don't think they're
dumb, they're smarter than you think. Kids will listen and behave better
around you if you do that.
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Have a firm handshake.
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Relearn childhood skills or hobbies that
you decided were stupid. They'll often inexplicably impress people later
on.
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Pay attention to how your coworkers treat
waitstaff. It's is generally a good indicator of how they'll treat people
they feel they have some power or control over.
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Take your hat off during dinner of say, a
significant other, or a friend's family that you aren't too comfortable
with yet. It just looks bad to be an impolite punk who doesn't show any
manners.
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If you get in trouble with an authority figure,
be as nice as possible, sometimes they let you off if you display that
you have regretted your mistake or are willing to accept consequences.