KristenBegins...

I have given this much consideration and have decided that shopping should be counted as a sport. And I mean a real sport - like up there with football and running and other "get your heart pounding" sports. This is why: much like the activities our society deems to be athletic, shopping holds much of the same traits. For instance, when I have an entire day of shopping planned out, much like football (yeah, lets use football as the example), I like to make sure I have gotten enough sleep the night before. I then make sure I wear the most appropriate clothes to avoid any interference and so I am comfortable enough to last through the whole game. This attire usually consists of easy access shoes such as flip flops, and a shirt (preferably one layer) that is easy to get on and off. I then like to make sure I fuel my body with enough food to keep my energy level high but not too much where I feel absolutely disgusted trying on clothes.

Like football, having a game plan is also a necessity. In my mind rests the floor plans to more malls than I care to admit. You name it and I can tell you where the Forever 21 is located in relation to the Gap. Knowing ahead of time where my favorite stores sit helps me to execute the most strategic and time efficient route. While executing the route, there are a lot of obstacles that the inexperienced athlete will let slow them down like baby strollers, pesty sales clerks, and slow walkers. My years of training and practice helps me keep my eyes on the prize.

Sometimes a half time break is needed. In these instances, a quick stop at the food court can do the trick. A cookie usually helps bring the energy level back up or maybe a mocha from the coffee shop.

Having the right teammates is also integral to a successful shopping day. There are very few people who can hang with me as long as my shopping adventures have been known to last. I keep a small group of MVPs. Bringing a guy along will weigh you down. They tend to be very distracting, stand over you, and never let you spend as much time browsing the store as you'd like. Leave them at home. My recent mall trip proved this point. I went to the mall with a male friend who I am convinced only goes once a year (he didn't even know the Gap had moved!). After visiting one store and him trying on 3 items of clothing, he was ready to end the game. He was done. I told him we had the whole rest of the mall to visit and we could not be defeated this early on. I got a few more stores out of him but the endurance just wasn't there and the mall won.

If shopping were a sport, I think I'd get the gold medal.