One of the most mischievous days of the year is approaching fast! Some people forget about April Fools’ Day, which occurs annually on the first of April. While it is one of the lesser known holidays, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it. April Fools’ is a day where you play pranks on slightly unsuspecting victims. I say ‘slightly’ because most people will become aware of the holiday and expect people to try and trick them. If you would like to partake in the merriment of April Fools’, all your pranks need to be clever and unobvious. Since I was old enough to actually participate in April Fools’, I’ve tried various pranks on my friends and families. I’ve compiled a list of the best pranks based on logicalness and effectiveness. I would advise, however, to only pull pranks on people you know could take them. April Fools’ is meant to be a fun, silly holiday; don’t go overboard. While we at Her Campus Mercer believe in having a little mischievous fun now and then, we do not condone bullying. These pranks are meant to be light-hearted and benign, not malicious.
The Fake Bug
Say what you will, but this prank WILL get someone. All you need is a pretty convincing fake bug and a person who is scared of bugs. To make this prank work, however, you must be patient. Place the bug somewhere they will definitely find it, such as just under their covers or half-hidden on their desk. Also, try not to lead them to the bug, but let them find it on their own; the initial shock of finding the bug will last longer. Try to act surprised or terrified with them if you want to keep the mysterious suspense alive of whether the creepy crawly they discovered is the real thing. The picture shown below is a plastic spider that was used to decorate my freshman dorm hallway for Halloween. According to my kind RA who let me take it, the spiders came in a pack at Walmart for two dollars. I’ve scared my roommate so many times with this nifty creature. I’ve left this fake spider on my roommate’s coffee maker, a banana on her desk, in her bed, and in the shower; it worked every time. A girl who lived on my hall had a very realistic looking cockroach, which we also hid around my room for my roommate to find. The fake bug is a perfect prank because it’s cheap, easy, and doesn’t do too much damage. This is definitely a prank you and your victim will laugh about later!
Hello, Jell-O!
If you’re a fan of the The Office like I am, you will understand the hilarity that is putting someone’s stuff in Jell-O. This prank is fairly simple; all you need is a fridge, a nice-sized, deep bowl, and TONS of Jell-O. It will be slightly difficult to place the object of your choice in the Jell-O because of the weight, which is why so much Jell-O is required. Remember, when picking an item to suspend inside a sticky mass of congealed sugary goodness, you have to account for the boundary between funny and mean. Don’t choose a super expensive item such as a cell phone or MP3 device or an item your victim truly cares about. Instead, opt for something you know they use on a daily basis that is also inexpensive and fixable, such as their stapler, toothpaste, nail polish, etc. To efficiently have the item surrounded by Jell-O, you will need to use either method: molding half of the bowl, letting it sit, then putting the object in and making the rest of the Jell-O, or use duct-tape to create a little hammock-like structure to place the object on, and create the Jell-O around it. The latter option takes the least amount of time. However, in both circumstance, your patience is required. If you take your time, this prank will definitely pay off.
Wrap it Up
Who doesn’t love the joy of unwrapping presents on Christmas morning? Give one of your friends the gift of Christmas by wrapping every single thing in their room in beautifully tacky Christmas paper. Don’t think of this as a prank, think of it as allowing your special friend to enjoy the wonders of Christmas all over again in April! If you’re not a big fan of Christmas, there are tons of other types of wrapping paper out there. You could also use saran wrap, aluminum foil, and post-it notes. The reason this prank is brilliant is because it will take your victim literally forever to unwrap everything (that is, if you actually do wrap EVERYTHING). Likewise, it will take you a lot of time to effectively pull this prank. If you just wrap the essentials, like their laptop, TV, microwave, coffeemaker, etc., though it won’t take as much time, you won’t give this prank the justice it deserves. Taking the time to literally wrap everything they possess (individual pencils, books, chords, makeup item, article of clothing, etc.) and every piece of furniture (doors, desk, chair, drawers, bookshelf, bed (also wrapping the pillows and blankets separately), mirrors, etc.), your prank will leave a lasting impression of merriment and excitement that comes with unwrapping. Go big, or go back to the prank drawing board and attempt something else!
Pranks, Trains, and Automobiles
Messing with someone’s vehicle can be pretty serious, so take this prank with caution. While partaking in this prank can be very easy and cost-efficient, there are many factors that need serious consideration. Does the person take pride in their car which seems almost on the verge of obsession? Is there a reason the person would need to hurriedly go somewhere in their car (job interview, medical emergency, etc.)? Would your idea damage the person’s car in any way? Is there a high percentage of rain for the day of your planned prank? If your answer to all the following questions were no, go forth and conquer!
There are many different types of shenanigans you can do that won’t endanger the value of your target’s vehicle. You can use car-markers to write all over their windows; they come in a variety of colors and are actually made for window writing, so no damage there! Similar to the room wrapping prank, you can easily do the same to someone’s car/truck/SUV. Instead of actual wrapping paper, post-it notes or toilet paper work best. It is extremely important to make sure the chance of rain is minimal when attempting this! The rain will make the paper stick to the car, making it much harder to clean off. If you have access to the inside of someone’s car, one thing (though slightly messy) option is to fill their car with shredded paper. If those pranks don’t float your metaphorical boat, then you could attempt to bomb their car with condiments. While I have never actually done this prank before, I’ve seen many a vehicle in my high school’s parking lot covered with ketchup and mustard; seems a little messy, but to each her own.
DO NOT do the following things to your friend’s vehicle (doing so may result in serious damage and awkwardness): put bologna on their car (peels off paint), do anything to their gas tank or tailpipe (it’s dangerous, obviously), avoid putting anything sticky that will leave unwanted residue (like stickers, even bumper stickers).