In Sri Lanka, there's not much to do in terms of entertainment. It's always the same old thing on repeat, so we head over to the the mall almost as if on autopilot whenever we are bored or decide to meet up with friends. Whatever the mall may be, you can't deny that it is a great place to people watch as it draws all sorts from all over the place. Without further ado, here are some of the most common types of people you're likely to bump into at the mall.

The Husband / Boyfriend / Sugar Daddy
This hapless significant other can be found lugging their partners many and often heavy shopping bags, or sitting outside while their wife, girlfriend, mistress or sugar baby is lingerie shopping, surreptitiously stealing glances at whichever TV has a cricket match on. They'd rather be anywhere but here, but what choice did they have really?

Teenagers
Being a teenager sucks. Parents suck. School sucks. Not being able to get into clubs sucks. Having no other forms of entertainment sucks. To make things worse, they're broke. So what do they do instead to escape their sucky life? Head over to the mall in droves.

The Families
The parental units are always exhausted, flustered and screaming. The kids are either throwing tantrums, racing shopping carts, pulling one dangerous stunt or the other or getting lost. Oftentimes, the dad can be found quietly trying to sneak away from the chaos, pretending to focus on some obscure product he’s just laid eyes on. 

 

 

The Loved Up Couples
Mostly found in the mall’s movie theatres, sitting huddled together in a corner table at a cafe or in some dark or secluded spot engaging in PDA. Don't be alarmed if you accidentally barge in on them mid-action, they are mostly pretty unbothered. 

The Shopaholics
These are the ones who are actually here to shop and to splurge. There's a sale on too? Even better. They will soldier on through almost all the stores in the mall without breaking a sweat or giving up halfway. They also make the best shopping partners because they will happily impart their pro tips and tell you exactly where to find what at the best rate.

The Bargain Hunters
Did someone say SALE? Triggered by the mere SALE sign, their adrenaline soars and their pupils dilate with excitement. They will queue up for as long as it takes and will scour the entirety of the mall to make sure they get the best deals.

The Window Shoppers 
They walk into the mall having made a promise to themselves, mentally repeating the mantra ‘I will not spend unnecessarily. I will not buy anything I don't need. I won't succumb to sales however great the deals may be because I'm only here to look around’, only to fail eventually to the lure of that 70% off.

 

 

The Selfie Taker / Snapchatter
You can easily spot hoards of these people at any given time - many often calling themselves social media influencers - religiously documenting their excursion to the mall, recounting their experiences, offering their reviews. You'll later find their instagram or snapchats full of pics of them trying on clothes, posing in strategic spots or making social commentary et cetera.

The Wanderers
The kinds of people who stroll about aimlessly. They really have nothing to do here, so they mindlessly walk about like a zombie, not seeing anything, not hearing anything, barely acknowledging anyone. 

The Pervs / Lurkers 
The ones making your shopping experience an uncomfortable one. Can be found following lone female shoppers, groups of girls or a couple around the mall, making lewd comments, whistling and trying to cop a feel. They may also be caught attempting to take upskirts photos or just photos of women in general.

The Kleptomaniacs
It may be in the kleptomaniacs guidebook, but these folks blend in perfectly into people you will never look twice at. Even if you do, you're not likely to peg them to steal something off the same shelf you are currently inspecting.