So begins the last two months of the year, the holidays. While this may bring some joy for those eager for cold weather, hot cocoa, and turkey, it also may bring terror for those who work or choose to shop on Black Friday. Personally, I try to avoid shopping or working on Black Friday. Alas, I will be doing both. Yay.

Well, I will more so be shopping on Thursday night, then working Friday all day. I know what you're thinking though; why am I going shopping on Thanksgiving? Am I not sympathetic to those who work the holidays? (Don't try to pull that one on me, I work retail). Do you not love your family? Blah, blah, blah.

First off, as said in other past articles, I have anxiety. If you think I am willfully throwing myself into a crowd willy-nilly, then you don't understand. I am doing it for someone who is my family, my boyfriend specifically. He is a lucky nugget who has an awesome girlfriend willing to buy him a PS4 on Black Friday. He's celebrating Thanksgiving with me, and I know how it feels to work on holidays. It's not the end of the world, trust me. There are worse things in life.

I'm still glad for the three holidays I don't have to work, yet at the same time I have worked every other holiday, plus my birthdays. I am living proof that it does not kill you. If bad comes to worse, you celebrate the next day or later in the day. Personally, a zombie apocalypse sounds scarier and is actually more life threatening.

But back to Black Friday. If you do happen to work or shop that day here is some advice. To the workers: you can do it. I believe in you, stay out of electronics for as long as you can, and make sure you get enough oxygen. For shoppers: do not go through the whole process of entering a store, selecting an item, proceeding to the check out line, and then tell the cashier you pity them because they work on a holiday or that you think it's unfair that they work that day at all. That makes you seem like you're full of it because you're right in front of their face shopping in that store on that day. If that's not fueling the fire, then I don't know what is. If you really cared about it, you would be at home stuffing your face with turkey. However, gluttony is no better than hypocrisy. Moderation folks, know it.

Some last words of advice for both shoppers and workers: it's just another day. Be civil. Materialistic items will not make you a better person, whether you are working extra and sacrificing your sanity and happiness for a few more Benjamins, on the verge of total destruction, or if you're a three in the morning shopper hiked up on ten shots of espresso throwing punches and ripping out hair for the last vacuum cleaner on the floor.

I'm not a good example, but I plan (emphasis on the PLAN part) on having the utmost self control when the day comes as a worker and a shopper. No promises though. Just remember I am a horrible role model and am sorry for whatever happens ahead of time. You've been warned.