As the Thanksgiving season crawls to an end, an even more profitable holiday surfaces: Black Friday.
Their bellies filled with turkey and mother’s delicious pecan pie, many Spartans prepared to go out for the evening to engage in Black Friday shopping. For the male population that may not understand just how special this holiday is to women, Black Friday represents a day of deals. Many wake up at ungodly hours of the night to go wait in the cold in order to take advantage of the “unbeatable sales.”
Many West Springfield students didn’t even go to bed the night of Thanksgiving.
“I got to Sports Authority at 11:30 and stayed in line for 30 minutes before the store opened,” said junior Lauren Dameron.
Junior Elizabeth Snow,stayed up the night of Thanksgiving to grab the midnight deals before going home to get some sleep; and then heading back out again.
While this may seem idiotic to some, the feel of a bargain buy is like an adrenaline shot to a sky diver. It’s a rejuvenating experience as you elbow your way to the front of the line and “accidentally” push others carts over.
“We always used to go and laugh at the people in the line in front of Best Buy,” said first time shopper, senior Abbie Walker. “It was actually kind of nice to have experienced the Black Friday atmosphere. Plus, I get to enjoy all of December Black Friday atmosphere. Plus, I get to enjoy all of December knowing that my Christmas shopping is done.”
The sad truth is, as much as we love to fantasize over the hundreds of dollars saved on Black Friday, the deals aren’t that great.  Deals and discounts can be a handy justification for some spending.
There’s been recent speculation that the amount of money saved is actually greater after Black Friday due to the abundance of overstocked items and the approaching holiday season.
When people go shopping on Friday, it does more for family and friend relationships than it does for ones’ wallet. Camaraderie gained over the discovery of discounts galore trumps any negative feelings over money spent.
Downing cups of coffee and shoving through the crowds together creates a strong feminine bond. While some reunite over a fresh and delicious Thanksgiving feast, the girls of West Springfield marvel over power shopping.
According to Dalmeron, the act of shopping truly can be justified.
“It was the first time I went, and the sales were actually really good,” said Dalmeron.