ADDY PITTENGER, Special to The Denisonian—

Sometimes I’ll just be doing homework in my dorm room, and I’ll take my 2-200 minutes of a study break, look around and think, I’m kind of bored of this stuff… How do we spice things up a bit? It’s now the weekend, and I realize I have a couple free hours, so I hit up my friends and convince them to participate in retail therapy with me.

Retail therapy is the act of buying items in order to increase an individual’s mood. The thought of having something new and refreshing in one’s hands is a way to destress and have control in your life. The extent to which how many items one buys as well as how much one spends is up to the individual. I myself do participate in retail therapy quite often, so here is my take on it and how to not overdo it.

Typically I like to do my retail therapy in the form of thrifted clothes or new wall decor because I love reflecting my personality through style and art. Not only that but it’s an easy way to express yourself to others. 

One easy place to do some nice refreshing retail therapy is whenever there is a Flea Market on campus! I have gone to a couple of them throughout my freshmen and sophomore year, and every time there is something new and unique, whether that is a pair of homemade earrings, clothes, or even little art decor items. For instance, the lovely Ellie Schrader printed posters for the Bullsheet and sold them at one of the Flea markets. Very good finds at relatively good prices within a 5 minute walk from the residence halls.

Another easy place for some relaxing retail therapy are your local Goodwills and other thrift shops. Until recently, I didn’t have a very big winter wardrobe, and knowing Ohio weather, it can easily vary when a winter wardrobe is necessary. Thus saying, I finished my classes for the day and decided to take a drive  and see if there were any nice cheap sweaters I could find. To my luck, I happened to get a couple for under $10!

Of course there is the downside of spending too much money, or buying an excessive amount of material items, so that’s where the cons come in. We’ve all had our moments of overspending on Amazon or Shein or other easy shopping sites as well as experiencing the pain of our bank accounts as the number dwindles down. 

The best strategy for not spending too much money (because we all know we broke college students need  to learn how to save) is to always set an amount for yourself to spend and to also consider the effectiveness of whatever it is you buy. If I go thrifting, it’s always do not spend more than $10. If I go out to eat, it’s always make sure it’s a place you fairly enjoy rather than overspending on mediocre service. And if all else fails, go with the old “spend cash instead of card” because everyone knows that if it’s not coming out of my checking account, it’s not “real money.”

A change of looks is always refreshing, and so is a change of scenery. So if you’re ever feeling stressed out or just need a slight feeling of control, then do a little retail therapy. Get yourself a new start. But also be hesitant, for tuition comes first.

Addy Pittenger ‘24 is an international studies major from Columbus, OH.