When everyone is on their phones

I had no idea what to write about today until I watched Buzzfeed's "When everyone's on their phones but you".

I am constantly in that same situation (everyone's on their phones, and I just sit there quietly or I'm talking to myself because no one's listening), except for the part where I don't speak up about everyone being on their phones, and I don't make up weird stories while everyone's attention is elsewhere.

During lunch at school, sometimes things get a little awkward, for me. All my friends will be on their phones, scrolling and refreshing, while I'm just sitting there like a loser (okay, well, not a loser, but I probably look like one). I barely use my phone because it barely works. You'd think that a... I don't know how much an iPhone costs, but you know it's expensive... super expensive phone would actually work smoothly and efficiently, but not mine. It hates me and I don't know why. The screen is always flashing and glitching. It's always turning off by itself and not turning on for hours (literally, this is no exaggeration). Anyways, you get the point. Point is I can't use my phone even if I wanted to. But my friends' phones are fine so they're on it 24/7.

It's so awkward for me because I know if I talk, no one will be listening and I'll practically be talking to myself, which is not weird at all. I just sit there quietly, looking around, people-watching. I mean, it's not that bad if we're by ourselves and no one can see us. But when we're sitting there at lunch with half the school around us, I look out of place. There's me, sitting quietly like an outsider, and then there's my friends, laughing at their phones, totally absorbed in whatever they're looking at. It's like the alone thing. The idea of being alone is fine, but actually being alone in public is awkward and uncomfortable. I think it's good to not be on my phone 24/7, but if all my friends aren't talking to me and are instead spending all their time with their phones, I kinda wish I had my phone to distract me or be a prop so I don't look like a complete loner.

But the funny thing is when I am texting another friend from another school or something, or I'm checking Tumblr/instagram and I'm not talking, my friends will all look at me and ask why I'm so quiet and why I'm always looking at my phone. Please! You've got nerve to tell me I don't talk much and am always on Tumblr. I do try to talk, but after awhile, I realized there is no point in talking if no one is going to listen or reply.

So maybe the next time you're out with your friends, try to stay away from your phone. There's nothing more awkward than when everyone is on their phones but you.