To say I love Black Friday would be an extreme understatement. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not the kind of shopper who you see in viral YouTube videos kicking over fellow women to arm wrestle over a blender, but I love a good deal. This year, I’ve got my eye on a six dollar shower set and an eyeshadow palette. Six dollars for a whole new shower set? You’re losing money by not buying it.

That being said, it’s noted that my view is slowly becoming the minority. This year alone, 55 retailers have already agreed to close their doors for Black Friday, including Patagonia, Ikea, H&M, Costco, and dozens more. There may be great deals, but the problem lies in those who are being asked to work during the Thanksgiving holiday, taking time out of being with their family to sell goods to others. Plenty of students who have worked in retail have felt the sting of having to leave family for work.

“As a retail worker, I left my family dinner at 4:30 to go to work on Thanksgiving,” Freshman Lea Hart said.

Hart isn’t alone; a quick Google search reveals that every retail worker has some horror story surrounding Black Friday. Hundreds of videos show full blown fights and retail workers have even been injured dealing with the massive crowds of people.

Other students said that Black Friday doesn’t echo the values of Thanksgiving.

“It’s disregarding a holiday that’s supposed to be giving thanks for what we have and turning it into a capitalistic money grab,” Sophomore Ciera Duban said.

Another big issue with Black Friday is that the name is a misnomer, as Black Friday has slowly turned into Black Thursday. Retail powerhouses like Walmart, Best Buy, and Target all start their sales early on Thursday. Some of the first sales begin at 6 p.m., a time when families are still often having dinner.

“It’s ridiculous that businesses are open on Thanksgiving,” Sophomore Jenn Kocevar said. “That is a day that is supposed to be time to spend with family. It’s Black Friday, not Black Thursday.”

Despite the negative feelings on Black Friday by some, there are others who love it.

“It’s like a national holiday to me,” Sophomore Jamie Hall said.

If you choose to go out and embark on a Black Friday shopping trip, what should you know? There’s a few rules of thumb that everyone should abide by.

1. Don’t go for a big ticket item. If you stand in live for five hours to get a TV for $100 cheaper than you would normally, it may be time to reconsider what in your life has led you to this point. If there’s a huge deal that you absolutely cannot live without, waiting for an hour or two is reasonable, but beware that going for a big ticket item means more competition for said item.
2. Don’t push and shove. You’re not in third grade in line to get juice boxes. It’s Thanksgiving, don’t express your gratitude by shoving over a sweet grandma to get a blender. Come on.
3. Wait your turn. Lines are going to be long so expect to wait. Don’t be rude to the people around you because they’re in front of you. If waiting bothers you that badly, either be the first person in line or don’t go out shopping on Black Friday.
4. This is the most important: be nice to people. Someone working retail on Thanksgiving is a regular person trying to make a living. Don’t get upset and yell at someone because the guy in front of you took the last Xbox. If a line is going slowly, don’t start screaming at the cashier because she was taking too long. People are doing their best and you should be respectful.

Have a safe, fun Black Friday, but don’t let that six dollar shower set get to your head.

Article by Payton Stringer.