Black Friday is no longer defined by crowded aisles and overnight lines. For the past few years, the real rush is happening online. This notorious day is all about big sales and shopping, but in recent years, Black Friday has changed in many ways.

Since online shopping has grown in popularity, many people have preferred the simplicity and comfortability of shopping from their homes. When shopping online, one can get double the deals with half the struggle of the Black Friday experience, which makes it the more enticing option for many.

In person shopping, however, used to be a fun mess, filled with havoc. People would wait in lines from the crack of dawn just to get those limited, one time deals. Lines would be out the door, and staff would be ready for a crammed day full of customer rage and items flying off the shelves.

As the years have gone by, though, in person shopping has lost it’s magic. The deals that were once sought after have been cut in half, and now it doesn’t feel worth all the stress.

 Online shopping is definitely a preference for most, for example, sophomore David Dobson remarked, “I feel like online shopping is better because the variety of deals is greater than in person.” Dobson also described never really going shopping in person for Black Friday.

As Dobson mentioned, online shopping has amplified deals and provided bountiful stock to go around, accompanied with less stress and hassle.

As for an opposing opinion however, Woodgrove English teacher, Mr. Thomas Scott, prefers in-person shopping. Scott tries his hardest to stay local and support small businesses throughout the holiday seasons. Scott stated, ”There’s something about receiving a gift, knowing it was bought clicking a few buttons, that makes it insincere.”

As shopping habits change over the years, it is clear that some will stick to their ways and not change their habits. Online shopping is here to stay, and in person shopping will never be the same as before technology’s uprising.