Amazon Panic Purchasing
Last Minute Panic Purchasing from Amazon: to buy or not to buy?
As I watch the clock before I leave for my open-ended, worldwide backpacking trip, a familiar anxiety creeps into my brain. I’d compare it to that feeling the night before a college paper is due (and I haven't started writing). Panic work from procrastination isn't the most ideal work, but it seems to be my most productive. I get a rush of motivation and what I think is “clarity” in those final hours.
Departure time is approaching. I hop on Amazon and start searching for "backpacking gadgets" (or something along those lines), and then convince myself I need these things. Regardless, I throw together my Cart and pay a little extra to make sure they're delivered in time. But what happens when it doesn’t show up like Amazon promised..? I realize I didn’t need that shit to begin with!
Kevlar motorcycle gloves seem like a great investment if you plan on doing some motorbiking. Then you get to Vietnam and see an old lady on a motor scooter weaving through traffic in flip flops, talking on the phone, smoking a cigarette, and hauling five propane tanks all at the same time. Maybe the gloves aren’t as necessary as I thought? I mean, here I am still typing with all my fingers.
Here’s the trap I’m falling into: trying to think of every possible scenario/problem that I might run into, and how a preemptive purchase could fix it before it’s an issue. I can do this all day, but when it comes down to it there’s always something you didn’t see coming (and Daddy Amazon won’t be there to make it all better). Make a list early and stick to it. If you need to, add some things to your Cart and let them sit there while you sleep on it (hell, they might even drop in price while they’re chillin there).
Remember: you can always pick up necessities along the way. Plus, running into obstacles is part of what makes travel so memorable. Right?
TL;DR - Amazon is a wonderful thing, but it’s easy to overbuy unnecessary things when you panic. Make a list and stick to it.
- Embry
#TravelSilly