By Akiva Bryant
Thanksgiving is coming up, and you know what that means. Yes, turkey and collard greens are amazing, but what about the day after? Shoppers all over the United States wait for Black Friday to waste all of their money.
Black Friday is infamously known for the craziness it brings, such as fights, extremely long lines and general recklessness. However, with the introduction of Cyber Monday, Black Friday has definitely died down compared to the mayhem of past years. Also, did you know there’s a Black Friday website that tracks Black Friday deals? It’s apparently been around since 2006, but I had no clue it was even a thing! It even details the history of Black Friday, discussing its name and origins.
People like Upper School teacher Mo Lotfy like to observe this craziness.
“[On Black Friday] I don’t even go into the Walmart,” Mr. Lotfy said. “I just like to park outside of the Walmart and watch the people rush to Walmart when they open the doors.”
He chooses one store in particular to go to.
“I like electronics,” Lotfy said. “So I would say Best Buy.”
Again, the overall craziness of Black Friday drives people away, such as Pate Jones ‘26.
“My family has always kind of avoided it because it’s very scary,” Pate said. “There’s a lot of stuff all over online of how people go absolutely insane over Black Friday, and my family is just kind of like ‘We don’t want to be a part of that.’ It’s spooky.”
There’s a certain conspiracy theory that floats around during November. Legend has it that days and sometimes weeks before Black Friday, some stores mark up the prices of what they are selling, only to reduce it to its original price on Black Friday. This tactic is more notable and infamous with online companies such as Amazon.
If you are going to participate in Black Friday, wake up early, especially if you’re going to a popular store. If you plan on shopping during Cyber Monday, it won’t hurt to already have your payment information loaded into the website before everything sells out.
Also, plan a route! Wasting time waffling around is just taking time off your mission. Aim to optimize your shopping spree as much as possible. This includes knowing what you’re gonna buy. Don’t get distracted by the flashy sales and the frenzied excitement around you.
Finally, check the return policy! Don’t hoard–you don’t know what’s going to end up cheap and broken (if it’s severely discounted, then I wouldn’t rely on its quality).
Stay safe either way! It’s seriously not worth getting hospitalized over a $400 flat screen. Happy shopping!
