As senior Andre Arce lunges for the barrel filled with clearance towels, he is suddenly struck by a stray elbow belonging to an even more aggressive smart shopper

This is just one of the many instances in which a crazy situation has reared its ugly head due to the chaos that is Black Friday.

Black Friday landed on November 29 this past year.  In the U.S. it is considered he first day of Christmas shopping.  During this day, retailers offer special deals and sales resulting in large crowds of consumers.  Typically, sales begin extremely early.

“I don’t go to sleep.  We go like, at midnight,” said sophomore Madison Faubus.  “Last year we actually left around ten and stayed out until about six.”

Man students are prepared in advance and know where they are going.

“Definitely, the mall.  Like, Victoria’s Secret, American Eagle, Masons, Francesca’s, and I don’t know where else.  Wherever my mom and sister want to go,” said sophomore August Jenkins.

Black Friday is an opportunity to get deals that are not available at any other time of the year.

“I bought an iPhone for ten bucks one year from Wal-Mart,” said junior Ricky Dobbins.

Faubus also found great deals before.

“I really want to go to Target.  Last year I got a TB from there.  It was only $189,” said Faubus.  “I think it was 32 inches.  Me and my brother got the last two.”

Some students go for specific items.

“A Play Station 4.  It’s cheaper than it would be if it wasn’t Black Friday,” said Dobbins.

Other students simply go because of the marked down prices.

“Last year I remember throwing in a bunch of movies, video games, towels, linens, sheets, and a bunch of other things into a basket,” said Arce.

Although Black Friday is filled with special sales, it also causes people to act eccentrically.

“I really wanted to get a surround sound system and they had already run out of them.  I was looking if maybe they had fallen or someone had moved them somewhere else,” said Arce.  “When I was looking around, [I saw] this one lady had two in her cart, because some people grab more than they need to.  While she was not looking I just took it and put it in mine.”

Faubus has had her share of bad experiences during Black Friday.

“Like two years ago, my mom wanted me to go get towels.  So i went to go get them and then some lady scratched me with her keys,” said Faubus.

Despite the spasmodic atmosphere, students persist in the excursion for discount merchandise.

“I will fight for stuff I want,” said Arce.