12 situations where you absolutely shouldn’t use your cellphone

Aug 8 2017, 3:24 am

We now carry more computing power in our pockets that NASA used to fly the first men to the moon. And with endless scrolls worth of social posts, news alerts, and funny cat videos at our fingertips, it’s perhaps no wonder that we’ve started to spend so much of our time staring at our cellphones.

Of course Face Time is great, but it’s important to remember that face-to-face time is also pretty darn fun.

So to help you separate yourself from your smartphone, here are 12 situations where you need to put your phone away.

In a drive through

Tim Hortons

Tim Hortons/Facebook

The lady at Tim’s doesn’t want to half-hear about your awkward sexual encounter with you internet fling. Put your phone down and order your coffee like a decent human being.

In line at the grocery store

Image: Whole Foods / Facebook

Look up and treat your cashier like a person, news flash working at Whole Foods isn’t that exciting and snippets of decent conversation can actually make someone’s day.

Really any type of retail/ service industry interaction

The list could continue all day, but to sum it up; baristas, cashiers, servers, they’ll all give you the stank eye. You’ve been warned.

On a trail

Hiking in BC (Rawpixel.com/ Shutterstock)

Hiking in BC (Rawpixel.com/ Shutterstock)

Nothing spoils the great outdoors like someone on their cellphone. Also, it’s hella confusing when you see someone on the trails and confuse their cell conversation as a face to face convo with you.

Lady: “Today is such a warm day”

Normal hiker: “Yeah it’s pretty hot up here”

Lady: Death glare, points to phone****

Normal hiker: “…Alright then enjoy the great outdoors.”

During a date

Bad date / Shutterstock

Unless it’s a bad date, then respond to some “urgent text” and get the heck outta there.

While driving

The fine for distracted driving is $543. Taking a selfie on the highway just isn’t worth it.

While you’re walking

Woman using phone on street (AstroStar/Shutterstock)

Woman using phone on street (AstroStar/Shutterstock)

If you’re walking on a sidewalk or hallway, put the phone down and look up. Let’s avoid those ankle rolling collisions once and for all and pay attention while moving about.

Before bed

@pixabay/Pexels

The blue light can seriously mess with your circadian rhythm. Switch to night mode for a more healthy pre bed Facebook scroll.

When you’re trying to study

Girl studying/Pexels

Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, and unrestricted access to the internet are undoubtedly distracting. If you leave your phone in another room you can probably save yourself an hour of goofing off and cram for that test a whole lot faster.

In the middle of class

Cellphone/Shutterstock

Okay, we’ve all been there, and undoubtedly could not keep conscious in university without checking our phones every once and a while. But if a flashing Youtube video is causing all eyes to stare at your screen maybe it’s time to put it away.

In a movie theatre

Movie theatre (Liu zishan / Shutterstock)

Especially after the lights have gone out.

We’ve all seen the ads, “don’t be a Tommy Texter, let everyone enjoy the show.” Let’s start listening.

During a wedding

@sweeticecreamphotography/Unsplash

The couple is paying for a photographer, they really don’t want your 1,000 blurry iPhone pictures. Eyes up and enjoy the ceremony.

Sam SchonewilleSam Schonewille

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