While many people were still asleep in their beds on Friday November 25 after the Thanksgiving festivities, thousands of shoppers stood outside malls across the country waiting to cross items off their holiday shopping lists. At 12 a.m., people were cheering in anticipation waiting for the doors to open.

Black Friday is a day unlike any other, where the norms of shopping are lost and survival of the fittest overcomes common courtesies. At Best Buy, customers fill their carts with televisions, gaming systems, and DVDs, pushing through the crowds to make sure they get everything they need. As the line stretches through the store, employees regulate the registers so that chaos is avoided. “I’ve been here since 12 a.m. and we opened at 1 a.m. I’m here until 1 p.m. I’m seriously in need of some coffee for this 13 hour shift,” said a Best Buy employee.

By 7 a.m., many stores appeared as though a hurricane had passed through. Clothes were on the floor, items were on the wrong shelves, and shoes lay strewn everywhere. The madness of the crowds left employees unable to keep up with cleanliness as they focused simply on satisfying customers and maintaining lines that sprung up at every register.

Despite the amount of food consumed the previous day on Thanksgiving, meals were a big aspect of Black Friday. A mother out shopping with her two sons said, “We started our day off with ice cream,” while others were roaming the food court with plates of Thai food or Burger King. Dunkin Donuts was packed with those getting their coffee fix. At 10:30 a.m., one customer said, “I’ve been here so long I’m not sure if I’m having breakfast or lunch.”

From computers to clothes, you can buy pretty much anything on Black Friday, but you must be prepared to deal with the insanity of the busiest shopping day of the year. Whether you begin shopping at midnight, or hit the mall at a normal hour, there is something on sale for everyone on Black Friday