The foolproof guide to April Fool’s

It’s spring at UMass, and for all of you lovely Tab readers you know what that means: out with the old and in with the…pranks!

Wait what?  Yeah. You heard right.

April is fast approaching, and with that, one of the best days of the year: April 1st! April Fool’s Day is perhaps the most underrated holiday, filled with pranking, pranking, pranking and- well that’s about it. However, if you go about this day with the right mindset and a list of jokes ready to be performed, you are bound to make the day as fantastic as us pranksters know it can be.

First things first, you need to know what types of pranks to pull. This is an exquisite art, not to be overlooked. For example, perhaps you have a wonderful trick in mind, but don’t know if in performing it, you would be crossing a line (chances are you would be if this thought arises- so maybe rethink that one). More than often though, someone just doesn’t have any pranks in mind; as such, they resort to ignoring the day altogether.

THAT IS ABSURD.

Do not simply drift through your day blind to the potential that it holds. There are so many jokes to crack, pranks to pull, and amusements to gain. If you are still unsure of what to do next: fear not, I am here to help you.

Here is a list of pranks that have been put into practice and proven successful. Rest assured, an April Fool’s Day to remember is coming your way. Simply follow these easy steps and you are bound to generate some all-in-good-fun antics that will make the day great.

• Toothpaste Oreos

This easy to make and inexpensive prank is a classic; one sure to pass the humor test as long as the intended victim does not already see it coming. Simply take a pit stop at Target or Big Y within the next few days, purchase “America’s Favorite Cookie” and some white toothpaste (the white in that last part is vital), and let the games begin. Next, take out the filling (or just add to the filling) and replace it with a glob of that minty paste. All that’s left to do from there is to offer some cookies up to unsuspecting friends- who will hopefully forgive you for this heinous crime.

• Crying Over Spilled Milk

Now this is a prank for those of you up to a real challenge. It takes commitment, some sub-par acting skills, and a lot (I mean a lot) of Elmer’s glue. Weird right? Well, if you are willing to go through with this masterpiece of a prank, it will be well worth the effort.

Here’s how this prank goes down: basically you acquire two milk cartons (hint: hit up Frank grab-n-go) one in which you drink/empty (and for the sake of sanitation you should probably wash it out too), make a glue contraption that resembles- have you guessed already?- spilled milk, and find a spot in a lounge or dorm with one unlucky victim with a laptop and a good amount of people to help you out with creating a scene. Make sure to be drinking out of the second milk carton while near your friend with the laptop. You can probably assume what comes next: once the poor soul leaves the room, hide your full carton of milk and set-up a fake scene in which the glue/spilled milk is laid atop the laptop with the carton tastefully placed on its side. Inform your friends of what your tactic is here, and when the prank-victim returns everyone should act panic stricken, attempting to clean up the “mess.” Needless to say, the unsuspected victim of this prank will have an amusing reaction.

With regard to the fake milk-stain itself, you can easily make this with liquid glue. First, find a non-stick surface to put the glue on (I used plastic wrap that was outside of a new textbook) and layer on the liquid glue until it basically looks like a milky-white blob. Wait for it to dry (which will probably take a few hours) and then peel it off. Bonus points if you can generate fake milk bubbles!

• Unsolvable Search

Here is the ideal prank to pull on any perfectionist friends you may have, because let’s be real, we all know at least one person who fits that mold. Luckily, this prank is SUPER SIMPLE. Just google: “prank word search” or “unsolvable word search”, and presto! You have the perfect prank planned and ready at the touch of a button. Just print out the puzzle, sit in an area surrounded by people, and either pretend that you need help finding a word or directly challenge someone to a race to see who can find a word the fastest. Needless to say, frustration and laughs will soon ensue.

• Revised Take on the Photobomb

This title is a bit misleading, but there’s really no way to describe this prank and do it justice. Essentially, you find the opportunity to get access to a friend’s bedroom, textbook, backpack, car, etc. (please no breaking and entering, wait until invited in or ask a roommate for help) and add a little personal touch. Anything really works, just try not to cross any personal boundaries.

Need clarifying? Last year some friends of mine were in for a surprise when their room was mysteriously filled with various Shia Labeouf photographs scattered around and even placed in hidden locations, from below window shades to within the pages of books. Though, I’m sure Shia Lebeouf pranks may not be for everyone (random I know- but that is also the point sometimes) this prank is one in which you get to choose what objects to use based on the person being pranked. Perhaps you will gift wrap their textbooks, fill their car with balloons, or cover their room with hidden pictures that are sure to make them laugh; regardless of what you choose, let your freak flag fly and get pranking.

• Pranking the Passerby

Here is an easy idea for the bold and brash; one in which you not only prank some close friends, but the general public…or at least those in your direct vicinity. Basically, this prank relies on the “shock factor”; and you’ll quickly see why. Get your hands on an old mayonnaise container, find or make yourself some vanilla pudding, put the pudding in the container, and voila, you have an instant prank at your fingertips. All that’s left to do now is sit somewhere in public and eat away at your pudding/fake mayonnaise; you’ll be sure to freak out many a passerby. That being said, it’s up to you to decide if it is worth putting yourself through such an experience! 

Overall, April Fool’s is coming in hot, so don’t let the day pass without living it up to its fullest potential. Quick! go out and get yourself some pranking supplies, brainstorm new ideas, and get your friends involved. If you do it right, the day is bound to hold an abundance of laughs and humorous memories that will be cherished forever in that mischievous, prankster heart of yours.

Happy pranking!