So here I was yet again scrolling through Urban for the umpteenth time today. As much as I hate to admit it, this has become a routine every time I’m on my laptop. Even while I’m in class, I find myself logging into my member account on Dolls Kill rather than my school account on Canvas. Even now as I am writing this article I am absentmindedly switching back and forth between this tab and the clearance selection at PacSun. Is my new shopaholic frenzy a real problem?

There used to be a time where I did not resort to the web for shopping. I love going to the mall. I always have and I always will. It was not only the place to hangout, but it was also my shopping sanctuary. Walking into each shop to discover the new selections and try on different fits was thrilling. I craved the touch of the unique fabrics and textures right before me.

Yes, I find myself doing the same routine when I hit up the boutiques on Newbury Street or the stores in The Pru, but it is not the same. Since coming to Emerson, I have only been shopping in person a few times. My mall trips used to be weekly, and now I just don’t get the chance to go as often anymore.

I’m not new to online shopping of course. When I did look online, I would barely spend any time scrolling through the website. I would mostly look at the clothes highlighted on the home page or even the pop ups promoted on Instagram. I never actually bought anything either. I would just screenshot some cool tops or sneakers, and they would be stored on my camera roll for months on end, never to see the light of day from my shopping cart or wish list.

I now have a hardcore online shopping obsession as it has become easier to look online than walk to the stores.

All of my friends shop online too. My friend, Jennie, has “been online shopping religiously since sophomore year of highschool.” Some of her favorite places include Dolls Kill, Urban Outfitters, Cider, and PacSun. Jennie loves looking at these sites “almost every day.” Recently, she’s “been online shopping very often, maybe once or twice a month.” She even admits that she “definitely spends more than she should” as totals easily add up to $150 or more. Despite the expense, Jennie finds online shopping to be super convenient as stores have more inventory and selections via the web.

While this is not necessarily a bad thing, it has definitely been a bad influence on me. I find myself in the same position as Jennie all of the time. I have never spent so much on clothes before college, and now I’ve bought a great deal. Whenever I have a dull moment, online shopping makes me feel better. "They ask you how you are, and you just have to say you're fine when you're not really fine." Even though I don’t have thirty thousand dollars in credit card debt like Peter from Family Guy, I have totally disregarded any frugality I had before shopping online.

But is this really becoming too much? Learning to have control can be annoying. It’s better said than done. I tell myself all of the time that I don’t need this, but then I get these amazing deals that I can’t help myself. However, everything I have purchased has been worn or used on a daily basis whether it was baby pink cargo pants, a sparkly claw clip, or a Bart Simpson graphic tee. At the time it could have been more of a want, but now I’m understanding that it might have actually been a need. 

"People think I'm obsessed with this, but I'm okay with it." With spending online, I am able to keep up with my style and the new trends without having to leave my room. Online shopping makes me excited to expand my style, and I often think about how the products I see online could easily fit into my wardrobe. While it can be pricey, the shopaholic life is ultimately the life for me.