Some people believe it’s good luck to say “rabbit rabbit” when waking up on the first of every month. But on the first day of April, some unfortunate souls let out an incomprehensible shriek soon after they’ve opened their eyes. Maybe it was an ice cold shower, or plastic wrap on the toilet, or maybe even colored dye in the shampoo bottle. Whatever it was, there is nothing lucky about being pranked on April Fools’ Day.

While the origin of this day of pranks is uncertain, some believe it came from the adoption of a new calendar, while others believe it has emerged from age-old European spring festivals (“April Fools’ Day Mystery”).  For most, the origin is trivial; what matters is that April 1 is a day to torment your loved ones.

“One year my brother called my mom and told her he got arrested in a bar fight. She freaked out,” Jake Reiner ’14 said.

When it comes to pranks, some people stick to the classics. Toothpaste in the Oreos is always a fan favorite and is a trick that students like Ruby Steinberg ’14 have pulled in the past.  “I used that on my mom once. She wasn’t pleased,” she said.

Other students stray from these typical pranks to indulge in something more original. “My friends and I once woke our other friend up at about three o’clock in the morning at a sleepover on April Fools’ Day and told her that her dad was there to pick her up. She got all dressed and ready before we told her it was a joke,” Sydney Malkin ’17 said.

Friends and family aren’t the only ones tortured on this day. “In seventh grade, my teacher walked into the classroom on April Fools’ Day, and we all yelled ‘rat!’ and jumped on the desks. She ended up screaming and jumping on a desk too,” said Sydney Newman ’15.

Of course, some teachers know how to fend for themselves. “One year I taught made-up stuff to my chemistry class for 30 minutes. It looked like quantum mechanics, but it was complete gibberish,” said science teacher William Jones.

While being the subject of a prank isn’t always enjoyable, most people can laugh it off or forget about it. That is until the next year, of course, after the victim has plotted their revenge…