By Bosun Bankole
I went on a date with a couple of friends some time ago and while on the date I noticed everyone was looking at me in a funny way. I became conscious and decided to find out why, then I noticed I was the only one who had my phone with me and I had been interacting with my phone more than the people I was out on a date with. Such action is tagged phubbing. Phubbing means snubbing someone on a date by paying attention to your phone instead of listening.
Is it not ironic that we spend long hours on the phone because we want to stay in touch with the people we love and when we are physically present with the people we love we still cannot get off the phone. We have allowed the phone to become the tool that takes us away from the people we love rather than a tool that keeps us close. A lot of young people are guilty of phubbing and this is why most relationships are so vague and without roots.
Our phones have become the new adult addiction and now is the time to seriously get disciplined. If your partner means the world to you, prove it by keeping the phone away when you are together. It communicates to your partner that you are giving him/her your full attention and it ensures you do not miss out on anything he or she says. Keeping the phone away also helps you to build intimacy and true friendship.