This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at IU chapter.
You have probably already started to see stores promoting their holiday sales, and as we all know shopping season begins with a bang the day after Thanksgiving. If you are among the “shopaholics” demographic and plan on participating in Black Friday this year, keep these few tips in mind so you can come back to campus in one piece and with some great goodies!
- Fuel for your Friday fire: Last year, stores reached an all-time earliest with their opening times scheduled for midnight. Typically stores keep their anxious customers waiting until 3 or 4 a.m. With such a large gap, the dark dreariness can hit you hard as you wait for that half-off Victoria Secret IU merchandise. Keep yourself awake by packing yourself a thermos full of hot coffee and some Thanksgiving left-over cookies; after all, you wouldn’t want to waste any of your Black Friday fund by purchasing snacks or lattes!
- Bundle for your bargains: When it comes to waiting hours in the cold, it should go without saying that comfy, cozy overrides cute, chic clothing. Standing outside for hours in a line that isn’t moving until the doors open is no condition for anything other than sweats and sneakers. It’s better to overdress than the other way around so layer, layer, layer!
- Gear up with a game plan: After your Thanksgiving feast, be sure to map out your route for the next morning. Do your research and plan accordingly by keeping opening times in mind. In addition to times, knowing what items you want from where will save you the trouble of searching the wrong store for your most-desired item. Being organized among all of the chaos that is to be expected on Black Friday will save you loads of time and keep you sane!
- Bring a partner in crime: Black Friday shopping alone is a drag, not to mention dangerous. Beside the luxury of having someone to complain to about the cold, bringing someone along on Black Friday is more of an advantage than you would think. If your friend isn’t looking for anything at the store that has the majority of your items, you can snag that new Keurig while your friend grabs some new appliances for your apartment next year!
- Black Friday Buddies: Although the majority of the people in line with you are your competition, viewing them as intimidating and the “trampling type” isn’t necessarily the mindset you should maintain outside of Target this year. Last year my boyfriend befriended a woman ahead of him in line for a video game. When the doors opened he didn’t make it in time to get a copy of the game he had waited hours for. Sure enough, the woman he had talked to just moments before found him and handed him a copy that she had grabbed along with her own! Being friendly has its advantages and after all, ‘tis the season for acts of kindness!
- Don’t let Black Friday make your budget a black hole: Although there are so many amazing deals on Black Friday and you get the pleasure of physically having your item then and there, remember that Black Friday is just the beginning of the sales season. Cyber Monday is an increasingly popular post-Black Friday event with just as many bargains. Cyber Monday is the Monday after Black Friday and the day that over 226 million shoppers find the best online deals. So if you’re bummed that you’ll be home for break and can’t wait outside on Kirkwood for an Urban Outfitters sale, check out their site on Cyber Monday for the same or similar deals!
- Remember “shop ‘til you drop” isn’t merely a phrase on Black Friday: The term “Black Friday” originated in the 19th century due to the amount of violence associated with the event. Since then, Black Friday has continued to be infamous for its unfortunate casualties. The most dangerous participating store seems to be Walmart, which has housed many injuries and even a few deaths along the years. Save making the headlines for a Hoosier accomplishment rather than being a Black Friday victim by consistently being cautious and conscious of your surroundings!