My boyfriend got mad at me during break.
You are probably thinking, “I don’t even know this girl. Why should I care?”
Well, you shouldn’t care about my personal life because it is just that: personal. But I am sharing this because what he got mad at me about is something that people do every single day.
He got mad at me because I was on my phone when we were hanging out.
Now you are probably thinking, “Wow, something that small? What a jerk.” But I assure you, dear reader, he has a good reason to be mad.
Sure, I was checking my bank account [since it was Friday and I just got paid] and reading an email. Two legitimate reasons to check one’s phone.
But it is rude.
I was home for just two days during spring break. The morning my boyfriend got mad at me was the day I was leaving to come back to Bowling Green.
I was stupid. I wasn’t actively engaging in a conversation with him; instead, I was glued to my phone.
I wasn’t fully spending the last of my time at home with him.
What I have come to realize from him getting mad at me is that being on your phone when you are with friends or your significant other is not cool.
You are supposed to be engaging in conversations with the people you are hanging out with; how can you do that if your nose is pressed against that touch screen?
You can’t.
I am a culprit of this; there have been many times that I am hanging out with friends and I get a text from my boyfriend. Naturally, I respond. But while I am responding to the text, I usually stop talking to my friends or tune out whatever they are saying.
Then when I come back to reality, I have no clue what I was saying or what they were saying.
No matter what excuse you try and use [“oh, this text was important” or “I was totally listening”] you are being rude when you are on your phone while hanging out with others.
Since my epiphany, I have decided to consciously make the effort to put my phone away when I am with others. I want to be active in the conversations that my friends and I have; I want to remember our discussions.
I don’t want to be hiding my face in my phone, texting or checking Instagram.
Being actively present in conversations while with friends will benefit everyone involved and make for more interesting conversations.
Respond to Dylanne at
