I have recently noticed that I frequently use my phone as a way of escaping awkward or uncomfortable social situations. This came to my attention today when my schedule did not align with those of my friends, leaving me to eat lunch by myself in Proctor. Though I know  eating meals solo is not a big deal- in fact, most people at Midd have done so at some point or another- I cannot help but feel uncomfortable as I observe everyone else eat lunch with their friends. Somewhat unconsciously, I munched on my tomato, basil, and goat cheese sandwich while scrolling through uninteresting text messages and Facebook updates. Why did I feel the need to have my phone out a time like this? Why couldn’t I proudly sit by myself and enjoy my delicious sandwich? Perhaps I was trying to suggest to the strangers around me that I was simply too cool and too busy to have lunch with friends. Whatever the reason and however stupid it may be, in that moment, having my iPhone as my lunch buddy made me feel more secure.