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Cell Phones off the Table!
Have we forgotten how to communicate without technology?
Some friends and I went out for dinner the other day. I hadn’t seen them in ages, so I presumed we’d spend hours catching up, asking questions about work, school, criticizing ex-boyfriends. We all sit graciously at a dimly lit Chili’s booth. By that point, it had been about 20 seconds since any of us were able to check our phones. I felt certain, with all that time away, I must have missed a call from the Oprah or the President, so I ignore my surroundings and yank my smartphone from my back pocket. All my friends do the same thing, making zero eye contact with the server who takes drink orders. Five minutes passed before any of us had sufficiently updated our Facebooks, Twitters, or LOL’d back at friends. We talked and caught up in between text messages and phone calls, but none of us could be fully present with our phones so near.
Valentine’s Day dinner with my ex was much worse. I don’t know who he was texting, but they were obviously super entertaining. Stuff like that gets you dumped.
These experiences forced me to reevaluate when and where it is appropriate to use my cell phone. I was also worried I’d be unable to ever have another conversation not aided by a phone keypad. So, here are some cell phone rules of etiquette to keep you socially adept.
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- Maybe we can get back to this!
Turn your ringer on silent or vibrate
Nothing breaks up a flowing conversation faster than the sudden interruption of a ringing cellphone screaming to be answered.
Don’t take calls at the table! If necessary, step away from the table
Nobody wants to hear you lie to your mom about your exhaustive study habits and how broke you are.
Don’t text or play games
Your company is there for interaction, not your iPhone.
Now imagine an entire meal without the interruption of a pesky digital device taking center stage. We’ve gone from no elbows on the table to no cell phones at the table. A fine restaurant in Washington D.C. went so far as to ban cell phones from their restaurant. Reservations must be made online, and the patron signs a contract ensuring their cell phones will be left at home. The Fox Business article states, “If you can’t sit through a meal without using your phone, that’s just sad.” More high-end restaurants are following pursuit in order to provide a less distracting dining experience.
Technology is great, but sometimes we need to sit down and reconnect with reality.
