"Excuse me, I have to take this"

Cell phones have taken over the world and Rogers and Bell couldn't be happier.

Almost everyone has a cell phone, if they're out and about going places there needs to be a way for people to get in touch with them. So in many ways, cell phones are great and important. But with all the perks that come with possessing a cell phone, there are those who chose to abuse its awesomeness to the point where it gets on people nerves.

Here are my rules for proper phone etiquette:
1. Adjust your phone settings and volume according to your surroundings. For example, turn it off during school and if necessary, silent or vibrate. Same goes with when you’re at the movie theatres and adjust the brightness if you really need to text. Remember this at important places like school, movies, funerals, doctors, TTC, and church. You must turn your phone off a church.
2. When answering your phone in public places please, please, please! Keep your voice down! Other people don’t wanna hear about your fight with your mom or who ever and we don’t wanna know what’s going on between you and that girl. For all you know, her friends or even family could be around so watch what you say. Also, watch your language being sure not to offend anyone around you. The worst offence for me would be loud laughter.
3. Be Bluetooth Savvy. Ok, I don’t have anything bad against Bluetooth devices, just the people who abuse them. There are many stories of people mistaking those using Bluetooth devices in starting a conversation with them, only to find out that they were just speaking through a Bluetooth device and of course, becoming extremely embarrassed and trying to play it off. The lesson is to make sure that you make it visible when you speak into it or you’ll look really weird until it is noticed.
4. When you’re with a group of people, or even just one and your phone rings, remember to be polite and excuse yourself first. No one likes it when they’re having a conversation with someone and they suddenly just open their phone and start talking without warning, or even worse, when they randomly turn and leave. Having proper etiquette is very important.
5. Lastly, and most importantly, everyone must remember that phones are used for calling and even texting. People need to remember that no matter how cool or new your phone is and no matter how much it can do, it’s still a cellular phone. Used for communicating to others when you’re not at home. I hate when people are constantly on their phones playing games and texting. Learn to put that handy phone down and chat with the people you’re with.