Cell Phone Etiquette

   I guess I'm on a manners kick, now!  Cell phone etiquette can be confusing - as technology evolves, so do the guidelines for using it.  People have been eating and drinking with silverware for centuries, so a question such as "how should I set the table?" has set, traditional answers, but new topics like cell phone use do not.  Hence my guidelines, below.  As a member of the first generation to grow up with cell phones (well, since our teen years) and a graduate of cotillion (which aims at making pre-teens into young ladies and gentlemen), I hope I am qualified to give a few rules for cell phones.  Note: these rules apply to young people primarily, but can be altered for any stage of life.

1. Never use your phone in class (or work, meetings, etc.), unless it is an emergency (for instance, a family member is in the hospital).  Do your texting and talking between classes, no matter how boring it is!  Teachers/professors can tell when you're texting, so try writing a to-do list instead!
2. Never, ever, ever answer a call or text in an interview, and don't check your phone at work unless you are instructed to or on a break.  This is just responsibility!
3. Don't text or talk during a meeting, unless you are texting/talking about something pertaining to that meeting and it is a casual meeting (such as a planning meeting for a campus organization).  
4. Only text or talk during a conversation with a friend if he or she does so first.  Your friend is devoting time to you which they could devote to someone or something else, so respect that! 
5. Whenever possible, keep your phone on vibrate or silent mode.  This is especially true if you're having an extended texting "conversation".  I could hear my dorm neighbors' phones through the walls - trust men, those around you will appreciate it!