Barton Creek Square Mall> Highland Mall

Having been an Austin resident for over a year and a half, it may shock some that I had never visited Highland Mall--until today.

Barton Creek Square Mall is a comfortable 5-10 minute drive from campus depending on traffic and time of day. And while the variety of stores leaves something to be desired, the movie theater and convenient location make it a worthwhile trip.

However, my desire to visit Forever 21, an old standby for cheap and stylish mall-bred clothing, drove me out of my south Austin comfort zone.

Highland Mall, or as I have often heard it referred to as, "the ghetto mall" did a fair job of fitting the description. The stores were clean enough and stocked, but many lacked the organizational flow of newer establishments. The mall itself was small, and it was difficult to maneuver through the department stores. The parking was cramped with bus traffic.

Maybe it was the bad lighting or cramped shelves, but I only made one purchase today, an $8 belt. Hardly qualifies as a shopping spree.