It’s Thanksgiving. You’ve heard all the usual talk about “Black Friday,” but you’ve never experienced it for yourself. You’ve always been rather curious if the deals are worth it. The curiosity of your mind clashes with doubt when you see YouTube compilations of violent Black Friday fights in different stores across the country.

Whether or not you would be willing to throw down for a TV, the question still stands: is Black Friday worth it?

Many would argue that Black Friday can turn into a mess due to the large crowd of shoppers, the heightened anxiety levels of store-goers and the major discounts on items.

Melanie Jasmine, a ULM alumna who graduated with a degree in psychology, said, “Black Friday is overrated and dangerous. Most of the time, you can find many products online for the same or even a lower price.”

Jasmine also said retailers inflate prices, then reduce them after a Black Friday sale. Christopher Perkins also agreed.

“They’re going to get a greater influx of money than they usually would because of the mirage they dangle in front of us,” said Perkins, a junior English major.

Others also shared their views on the Black Friday experience.

Lauren Walker, a junior atmospheric science major, said, “I’ve always found it ironic and sad. When we sit down with our families and give thanks for what we have, we are then pressured to go trample each other for materialistic items.”

Though Walker expressed her negative feelings for Black Friday, she referred to the many deals as good. According to BlackFridayDeathCount.com, multiple injuries happen every year at Black Friday events. In some cases, death has occurred. Heléna Kamp, a senior psychology major, said she feels the event puts people who are in need in danger and it pits them against each other.

Walker said, “It makes me sad to see how violent people can be at these sales, and to see the videos of fights that surface the day after Black Friday. I wish it weren’t like this.”

Jasmine also agreed and said most of the Black Friday shopping experience is fighting with others at different stores.

Besides the violent experiences, other students felt it ran much deeper than fist fights over discounted items. Perkins referred to Black Friday as an “illusion of saving money while also spending it.”

Despite the backlash against Black Friday, a graduate student and psychometrics major, Kimi Sargent, said, “It’s only worth it if you’re getting electronics.”

In the end, whether a Black Friday shopping experience is worth it, that is entirely up to you as a consumer.