Free Observing A Scene: Time In A Shopping Mall Essay Sample

Today, many people live very busy lives. Most of the population do not stop and take the time to observe their surroundings. I decided to take the time and see the interaction within a shopping mall. As I paid attention to the various people going about their lives shopping, I come to realize how humanity is very similar to other creatures in the natural world. To understand how I have come to such a conclusion, allow me to describe my surroundings.
The parking lot of the mall is a vast sea of cars. Everywhere one looks, there are big and small cars of all colors, make, and models. Like the many fishes and sea creatures that battle for territory in the ocean, drivers also must be very diligent when it comes to looking for a parking spot. Some go as far as to argue when the place they intended to use have been quickly taken over by another driver. Once the car has been parked, walking towards the entrance of the mall have proven a bit of a challenge to some of the potential shoppers. One would-be customer was almost hit by a driver who was not looking his way while backing out of the parking spot. Just as quickly as the argument began, it ended as the driver rudely wave off the shopper. Buyers with young children seem to have it worse. Those pushing strollers must always be aware of what is happening even before anything happens. They must dodge moving cars of drivers who may not have seen the baby stroller while backing out. Those parents with young children who are walking must always remind the child or children to hold their hands and to look out for cars. Similar to little fishes who are excited about their first day out, the young children are jumping and singing without a care about their surroundings. Many of the parents have the look of relief on their faces once they have reached the entrance to the shopping mall.
As people are making their way into the shopping mall, many are talking about the things they need to buy or issues in their daily lives. Young children are shouting and playing make-believe, and a few babies can be heard crying from either their strollers or in the arms of a parent. Passing the entrance to the shopping mall, I come upon a scene that reminds me of the coral reefs. Similar to coral reefs, everywhere I look, there are so many colorful displays and so many people moving around them. Some stop to admire outfits, shoes, and even makeup. Others are rushing to get to their destination. People are on the escalators. Some are going up as if they were whales surfing for air while others are going down into the depths of the shopping mall. There are rows and rows of windowed shops that are attempting to draw in customers. Shop assistances seem to be out in full force and trying to convince shoppers to buy their products. After spending some time shopping, some of the shoppers have worked up an appetite and so they make their way towards the food court.
The food court is a feeding frenzy. Everywhere there is a long line as people prepare to give their order to the worker behind the counter. As each food orders is fulfilled and delivered to the customers, people begin to look for tables so that they can sit and devour their meal. Most tables are taken, and people who are using them seem to be taking their precious time leaving them. Instead of leaving as soon as their meal is finished, many prefer to stay and take the time to chat with each other. They seem to know that the tables they are using are a hot commodity, but they do not appear to care that others need the tables as well. Tables that are empty are left with trays and empty dirty dishes. Before most people can reach the dirty table, the cleanup crew attack the tables and in the blink of an eye; the once dirty table is cleaned. The new customers sit down at the newly cleaned table, and the feeding frenzy begins again. A closer look at people’s face gives me some idea of their mood.
Shopping malls have a history of attempting to get the most out of their customers. Some are built with little to no windows in order to get customers to forget about the time and focus on shopping. In more recent times, many places have lost many of their shopping malls due to consumers finding other ways to take care of their shopping needs. As I look at the faces of the shoppers around me, I noticed that many are not smiling. Some look as if they are bored and are only here because they were dragged here by friends or family. Other shoppers appear to be in an almost zombie-like state. A few customers seem to be happy about their time in the shopping mall and those who are particularly excited are the small children. Young children in such large crowds seem to be a fun type of game to them.
The exit of the store is very similar to the entrance. However, many people are even more in a rush to get away from the shopping mall. In fact, some customers push others out of the way. Many of those who are leaving have bags in their hand from recent purchases. The young children who were happy to get into the store are now crying about how they do not want to leave. By observing my surroundings, I have found out a lot about the interactions within a shopping mall. I never thought shopping malls could be interesting to watch. Yet, the time I spent watching as people entered, shop, eat, and leave gave me a lot to think about. Customers are very much like creatures nature.