Black Friday is an annual, extravagant day of shopping that is most known for the lines of people that crowd around the stores awaiting their openings. During this day, stores mark their racks with discounted prices and deals. It’s the one day a year that you will find most of the world’s population going to and from just about every store in existence, overcrowding their arms and cutting the circulation off their wrists with shopping bags.
“I always go with my mom,” senior Letizia Cumbo-Nacheli (commonly referred to as TZ) said. “Sometimes we travel and this year were going to Miami to go Black Friday shopping and visiting family.”
While it may not be a very holiday-type holiday, the hecticness and chaos that is Black Friday is what makes the day so memorable. When walking through the stores, it takes luck to go without encountering at least one mishap between shoppers.
When TZ was going about one of her earlier Black Friday excursions, she found herself in a clash over a simple pair of leggings.
“In fifth or sixth grade, I was fighting with a lady over a pair of leggings [and] it was very serious,” TZ said. “[I told her to] give me the leggings because I was here first, and she told me she needed them for a Christmas present, so I ended up giving [the leggings] to her and that was the most Black Friday moment I’ve ever had in my life.”
In fifth or sixth grade, I was fighting with a lady over a pair of leggings [and] it was very, very serious
— TZ Cumbo-Nacheli
It’s a very common thing to see people battling over merchandise no matter the value of the piece. When shoppers find something that catches their eye, they are willing to go beyond the limits to walk away with it.
Black Friday has become a beloved holiday around the country that has started to be taken very seriously. From camping out the night before to budgeting spending, people of all ages have developed strategies to ensure they get the most out of their shopping experience.
“I put everything in priorities [and do] smart budgeting,” TZ said. “[I decide,] ‘Okay I need this first. Let’s go to these stores first.’ The most important stores are the ones that get whipped out first.”
Avid shoppers plan every second of their days to ensure they get the most out of their Black Friday, but, over the years, this shopping day has slowly begun to change its looks. Rather than camping out all night on the sidewalk and spending all day walking from store to store, customers have begun to enjoy a more virtual approach to acquiring all of their Black Friday deals.
This transition originally started when COVID was taking over. Since customers were either too uncomfortable to be around the public, or they simply couldn’t be, they decided to pull out their devices and quickly press “add to cart.” But even after COVID died down, many are still leaning towards the more conventional and convenient approach which is online shopping, junior Ellie Clarke included.
“I’d rather order [things] online,” Ellie said. “It’s faster and more efficient and you don’t have to try to fight the crowd.”
Online shopping has allowed people to get items from all of their favorite stores without having to give their blood, sweat, and tears for them. Although online shopping gives a quicker approach to all of your favorite stores at once, it can still be a struggle to make sure you get what you want. Sophomore Lauren Quada always makes sure to get online early.
“[My favorite stores are] Sephora and Pacsun,” Lauren said. “[When online shopping] you just have to get on early so you can get stuff before it’s sold out.”
Black Friday is an enjoyable day when shopping addicts can justify cashing out on all they need and more. With this day just around the corner, stores will be marking down prices up and down their isles, preparing for the madness that awaits as the lines begin to form just outside of their doors.
“I love Black Friday shopping,” TZ said. “I think it’s one of the best holidays of the year. It’s a time when you get all these good discounts and can refresh your wardrobe or household essentials. To be honest, you can just buy whatever you want.”
