What Would You Do? How to Greet Old Friends You See in Idaho

What would you do? What would you do if you ran into someone you knew in high school or college in Idaho? How would you greet them? Would you hug them, shake hands, wave, or what is the proper way to go about it? It can be awkward to know how to greet someone from your past. You may think of them as a good friend, but they may not feel the same. It may have been too long to know how to properly go about the reunion. You may overthink it, or not think enough about what the right way is to handle the situation. If you saw an old friend around town, what would you do?

Seeing Old Friends in Idaho

As an adult it can be exciting to run into old friends that grew up in your neighborhood, went to middle school or high school with you, or perhaps that you knew in college. While for some it can be a happy reunion, for others it is awkward and uncomfortable. Some may view it as the good old days, while others have moved on with life and prefer to not go down that path again. If you run into someone you had classes with, but perhaps weren't the best of friends, but got along, how do you greet one another? Is a hug acceptable, or as adults is it crossing a line? Is shaking hands the way to go, or does that feel too professional? Is it best to not embrace at all and just smile and talk while you catch up? It is a dilemma that many have dealt with, especially for anyone who has ever attended a high school reunion. 

How to Embrace Old Acquaintances in Idaho

Seeing old acquaintances as an adult is not the same as a kid. When you are a child there are secret handshakes, hugs are acceptable, and the world is much more simple. When you are an adult, things are more complicated and what was acceptable years ago, may not be anymore. If the person you see begins to go in for a hug, it is mutual and can be received, but there are always those few people you see that you attempt to hug and it isn't reciprocated. Shaking hands with someone is an acceptable way to go, but may feel odd depending on the past relationship with the old friend. Being of the opposite gender can make things complicated as well, especially if one or both of you are married. 

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Seeing former classmates can be fun, but can be the most awkward situation as well. You grew up with each other, knew the same people, and came up in the same surroundings, but might be different now that you are adults. There is no way of telling how to greet a former friend or classmate when you see them until the situation is actively happening. If you saw an old friend or classmate around town though, what would you do?