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How many times a day do you find yourself looking down at your iPhone instead of in the eyes of the person talking to you? The person passing you? Your crush? RUDE. No one likes to feel like they're not getting your full attention. But don't worry, it's not exactly your fault; you can blame your iPhone.

You probably don’t want to admit it, but let’s face it, sometimes you can be slightly socially awkward. For the more obsessed iPhone users out there, you can be a lot socially awkward. I’m not blaming you, and you shouldn’t either. Blame your iPhone and its many ways in which its influence has made your behavior, frankly, socially unacceptable. Before you can laugh and deny it, think about it, here’s a few habits that I bet you’re guilty of.

Listening to music on the way to class to avoid conversation

Yup, you've been caught. I know you love your Spotify premium account, but please unplug the headphones. Having your headphones gives others the impression of being standoffish. Embrace the sunshine and the people around you! Who knows what great conversations you could be missing out on.

Auto correct

Although auto correct was a very thoughtful invention, it’s also been a haughty one. It types the word we’re thinking of before we can even finish its thought, and it changes the word we mean into the word it thinks we mean. It’s made us so accustomed to abbreviations and text slang that we may find ourselves sounding like a rerun of “The Duff” when we should be sounding professional, in the classroom, in our weekly meeting, in our job place. Whoops, embarrassing, not the impression we were looking to give off.

Instant Text Message

Having the ability to send text messages instantly, has not only makes face-to-face interactions feel like pulling teeth, but also makes you unable to deal with confrontation. Mad at someone? Just wait for them to leave and then text them, duh. Pour out your heart in a lengthy paragraph. This bad habit makes you unable to deal with confrontation. When conflict arises, you find yourself shutting down, or walking away rather than expressing your thoughts and resolving the conflict. Later, you may regret words you didn't say, leaving the issue unresolved. In some cases, you may even give someone power over you due to your incapability to stick up for yourself. We become phone shy, only able to express our most intimate thoughts via technology.

Tinder

Ah, Tinder. The most tempting of all apps. So convenient, so empowering, so.. weird. Come on, we’re better than that. I know we all desire a bit more assurance than knowing our profile picture rated above a mediocre 5 for a swipe right. It’s easy to fall into the convenience and ease of dating sites and forget how to be charming when it matters most. What ever happened to walking up to the pretty girl in her sundress at the grocery store and telling her just how beautiful your pounding heart says she is, or asking the cute/smart guy in your lab for some un needed torturing, or finally asking that mutual friend you’ve been dying to have one-on-one time with out on a date. A real date, with an old fashion pick up at 8, door opening, flowers, meaningful conversation; you know the one. Instead of hiding behind a social media app and pulling out your cheesiest pickup line. It may be flattering, and a confidence boost, but no one really wants to settle for their soul mate out of Tinder desperation.

It's time to break up with your iPhone and start some real relationships.