Image Courtesy: CNBC
I remember too well, like way too well. How could I not? This was the closest I got to near death at a young age. Waking up at 4 AM, my mom and I– for the eighteenth time– go over the list and the Walmart floor plan to figure out where everything would be. In my 10 years of living, I had never seen a Walmart parking lot so full, not even for the plane shows they used to do near my old neighborhood.
My parents were firm believers in keeping me close to them, but when my mom told me, “Go over where the middle aisle is, near that lady in a black beanie, get the air fryer, and come back immediately,” that's when I knew how serious Black Friday was.
It was an event, a brawl, a battle, a nightmare. It was the kind of event where people stopped treating others like people, where animal instincts truly resurfaced.
I fully see why adrenaline junkies exist and why people chase a feeling that could disappear at any minute. It was a nightmare, but it was memorable, teaching us more life lessons in a mere two or three hours than we could learn in two or three years.
I miss it; I strangely miss it so much.
What really made those mornings stand out was all the planning. It wasn't just about walking into a store and grabbing whatever looked good. I remember looking through ads, comparing prices, making lists, and figuring out which things were worth going after.
Every purchase had a reason, whether it was a Christmas gift for someone special or something I'd been asking my parents for months. There was a great feeling that came with having a plan and being ready to go. Of course, sometimes that plan went right out the window as soon as you stepped inside, but honestly, that was part of what made it exciting.
Nowadays, what used to be almost a hidden Olympic category is now just another day at the mall on a weekend, only a bit more cramped. Deals don't hit like they used to, whether because companies are being stingy or inflation has gotten so bad that this once-famous shopping tradition has ended up in the land of the forgotten.
The thrill of the hunt feels missing these days, replaced by early promotions and online sales that lack the excitement of making my wishlist three weeks ahead of time. My heart aches for those chaotic moments when every turn reveals treasure, and the victory of snagging something that could have slipped through someone else's fingers felt unbeatable.
Shopping online is definitely easier, safer, and a lot less tiring, but it just doesn't have the same feeling. There's no real story in clicking a button while you're still in bed. You don't get that rush of wondering if the last TV will still be there when you finally reach the electronics section. Online shopping offers convenience, but it takes away the surprises that made Black Friday feel like a real adventure. Even if you planned your entire morning down to the last detail, you'd somehow end up with a story you never saw coming.
And let's definitely not forget the people! For a few hours, you felt a strange partnership with strangers. There were shared smirks of recognition when someone else got caught in the madness. I miss those spontaneous connections, the shared laughter over the stupid situations we caused, and even the muttering of tired shoppers who survived the same chaos but fell short. Things felt more human then, like we were part of a larger community of deal-hunters navigating the yearly “big saving celebration.”
It may sound weird, but I want Black Friday to hit like it used to. I crave the memories created under the dawning night sky and the desire to explore those endless aisles. In this day and age of shopping, companies have lost the heart of what Black Friday used to be. They may have left it behind, but somehow, it still hasn't left us.
Strike Out,
Brooklyn Gibson
Boca Raton
Brooklyn is a multimedia journalism major at Florida Atlantic University. Nicknamed “Bubbles” for her bubbly and bright personality, she is most of the time found at home bingeing any new TV series. Somehow, you will always find her with headphones as she is listening to a wide range of music, especially K-pop. Along with dreaming of her secret love hobby of horseback riding. You can connect with her at her email: saniyabrooklyn24@gmail.com or her Instagram @itg_brooklyn
