KRISTIE MOSS / Scroll Illustration

The day after Thanksgiving, also known as “Black Friday,” attracted more than 140 million shoppers this year with the average shopper spending $360.15, according to a survey done by the National Retail Federation.

But do some of those 140 million shoppers include college students?

“I go shopping on Black Friday every year with my family,” said Juliette Hansen, a freshman from Blackfoot, Idaho. “I went this year and it wasn’t as profitable as it was in years past.”

Some students at BYU-Idaho go shopping the day after Thanksgiving due to the deals that many stores offer.

“I went and everything was pretty discounted,” said Kristin Gray, a sophomore from Chicago, Ill. “Entire stores had everything for 50 percent off.”

Hansen said the deals weren’t great this year, making it the worst Black Friday she’s ever participated in.

For some students, the drop in prices isn’t enough to tempt them out of bed on a holiday weekend to face the crowds.

“It’s good to go shopping after Thanksgiving maybe twice in your life,” said Kimberly Englis, a junior from Idaho Falls. “But it’s crazy. There are so many people, and you don’t get what you go for anyway.”

Because so many people are hitting the stores on the same day, the most dedicated shoppers rise very early in the morning to try and beat the crowds.

“It’s so crazy, some people are lined up at 4 a.m. to go shopping,” said Traci Singleton, a senior from Saint Anthony, Idaho.

The crowds were large, even in the early morning hours. Gray said her brother wanted to buy a laptop for $600 at Circuit City. The computers sold out in 10 minutes at 5 a.m., she said.

Some people use this giant shopping spree as an opportunity to get a head start on their Christmas shopping. According to the NRF, approximately half of the Black Friday shoppers purchased clothing while the other half purchased electronics for their Christmas needs.

“I usually buy clothes for myself and Christmas presents for other people when I go,” Nielsen said.

The trend of people using Black Friday as a day to shop for themselves instead of for other people is increasing, according to the NRF.

“By offering incredible discounts, retailers were able to bring consumers to the stores who otherwise would’ve stayed in bed,” said Phil Rist, vice president of Strategy for BIGresearch in a 2005 news release from the NRF. “The deals were so enticing that many consumers abandoned their shopping lists and started buying for themselves.”