Aliyah Williams
Editor-in-Chief
The following story was published by Stroud Courier contributing writer Gina Fernandez on Nov. 29, 2012.
Only critical style issues have been changed.
Only in America do we go out on a kill-or-be-killed shopping expedition the day after we’ve celebrated how thankful we are. But, no matter how superfluous it all sounds, this day happens to be my favorite non-holiday.
I was raised in a family where you were taught how to use coupons at a young age: If it’s on sale and you like it, don’t pass it up! So, Black Friday is something of a religious holiday for my family – it’s the one day of the year that we go all-out.
This year I began my shopping at 10 p.m. the night of Thanksgiving at the Crossings Premium Outlets. Some stores weren’t open at this time, but I got an awesome parking spot. Then, I went in for the kill. My travels eventually took me to the Stroud Mall and the Lehigh Valley Mall.
If you’re a person with a more timid personality, then Black Friday just isn’t for you. This day is for those who become excited by an aggressive shopping experience. It takes patience, speed, agility and an overall take-no-crap-from-anybody attitude. The people are rude and ruthless, and you need to be able to get into the stores you want and get out with everything you need in a short amount of time.
Lots of people think Black Friday is all about going insane inside a store and participating in creating chaos. But those of us who are seasoned Black Friday veterans know the whole experience would be a lot easier if everyone had a predetermined shopping plan as opposed to running in and out of stores like chickens with their heads cut off. This would allow everyone a more comfortable, and in many cases, safer shopping experience. Although I do enjoy the chaos, I never participate. I always have a game plan.
Black Friday can be a wonderful retail experience for those of us who love “the deal”. It will always be my favorite way to walk off those extra pounds I gain due to the Thanksgiving feast I enjoy mere hours before heading out to the biggest national sale of the year.
Black Friday is coming up, and so is the new trend of Cyber Monday. As students prepare to go on break, many families will begin their holiday shopping during that time. However, with today’s technologically focused society, there has recently been a shift in attention to Cyber Monday.
