This is a Great Story...April Fools!

by: Alexandra Levine and Amanda Topper

"I'm pregnant...April Fools!" "Sorry to hear about your dad...April Fools!" "School's out April first...April Fools!" These horrible jokes should never be uttered on any day. Let us learn from our mistakes in the past, avoid world-shattering exclamations, and exhibit friendly, clean jokes this coming April Fools Day. I've gathered stories and suggestions for anyone you could imagine pulling a prank on this wonderful day.

SIBLINGS trick SIBLINGS: Ah! 'Tis a glorious day any day you're actually allowed to humiliate, embarrass, and torture your oh-so-deserving brothers and sisters. Remember, as long as you tag on a friendly "April Fools!" afterwards, you're in the clear. Keep it safe, kids!

1. Alarm Clock: There are a few variations to this trick. The first: in the middle of the night, sneak into your sibling's room and change the time on his or her clock to the time you normally leave for school. Then wake him saying "Why are you still asleep? We have to GO!" Watch them frantically get ready for school and run to the door, only to see a sign that says, "It's only (insert real time)! April Fools!" The second: Turn off his or her alarm and wake them with yelling, sirens, pots and pans, or any other loud, obnoxious noise you want! The third: move the alarm clock to the other side of the room, so when your sibling wakes up, he or she will have no idea where it is. The fourth: replace the normal alarm clock with one of a different make, so he or she will have no idea how to turn it off.

2. Painted Toilet Seat: This prank works best on a solid-color toilet seat. Buy a slow-drying paint (oil-colors and shoe polish are best; acrylics dry too fast) that matches the hue of your beloved toilet seat. Paint it in the middle of the night (so it's harder to see) and just wait for the screams! HINT: If you can't wait until the next morning, try the 'hand in warm water" trick after everything's set up.

WORKERS trick BOSSES: There are plenty of pranks for the workplace. Bosses are notorious for not taking hints, ignoring requested days off, and not understanding your jokes. It is time for them to take you seriously.

1. Quarter on the Floor: Do you have a greedy boss? Of course, you do! Simply superglue a quarter to the floor in a high-traffic area like a hallway, your boss' office, or a bathroom stall, sit back, and relax.

2. Everything is Wrong: If you have an easily-angered or easily-panicked boss, this is the trick for you! Run into your boss' office exclaiming that something pertaining to your job has gone horribly wrong. For example, "(Boss' name), there's NO money in the register!" or "My computer crashed and I lost all the data for the presentation today!" Need inspiration? Just imagine all the unfunny, uncalled-for jokes your boss has told you in the past that you just had to laugh at...now be creative!

TEACHERS trick STUDENTS: I haven't forgotten about you, teachers! Here are harmless, funny tricks to play on unexpecting students. Remember to keep your cool!

1. Right or Wrong? This is perfect to do to grade-conscious Signature students. My seventh-grade teacher did this to my class and I have never forgotten it. Everything was normal, and he mentioned nothing of April Fool's Day. We took a scheduled quiz, and I felt great about it. However, when I got it back, all the answers were X'd with a bright red pen and there was no grade on the top of the paper. I thought I failed it, but it turned out he X'd all the right answers and recorded the grades without reporting them to us just to freak us out.

2. Impossible Test: This my eight-grade teacher did to our class. He said, "Pop quiz!" and instructed us to take out a piece of paper and something to write with and not to write anything until he had completed the instructions. He then proceeded with the directions: "Number your paper from 1-20," "Write your name and the date at the top," and asked us very simple questions. Then he said, "Don't write anything and turn in your papers." So we turned them in; he took one look at them and said we all failed. We were so confused until he explained that we weren't supposed to write anything until he completed all the instructions. The only way to pass was to not write anything and turn it in blank.

FRIENDS trick FRIENDS: These really only work if you live far away from your friend and only speak on the internet and phone. If you happen to be in this situation, prepare to amaze!

1. The Lost Limb: Use a photo-editing program to prepare a picture as if you had lost a limb, and write about a car crash or some accident. Joel Muis, a Digital Photography student in Ontario, Canada did just that, expertly might I add. He explains, "This involved my photo editing skills, a great sob story, and a lot of people feeling very sorry for me. Afterward, everyone was angry with me, but what else could I have done to fool [them]?"

2. Dropped Call? During a phone call, simply stop talking. Don't hang up, don't giggle immediately, just cover the mouthpiece and don't talk. Timing is important here; you don't want them to hang up, just get really confused.

More LETHAL Suggestions: These pranks can be done to anyone, anywhere, but the execution is tricky; it takes a sly person with smooth cover to act out these jokes, but when it's done right, they are irresistible.

1. Strange taste: "This is real good, but you have to be smooth about it, " says mastermind Naem Madi, a current student at USI. "Get a habenero pepper and smear it's juice around the rim of cups, mugs, and other beverages." Other suggestions include using lemons, limes, and salt-water.

2. Bathroom break: Tell someone you are taking him or her out to a dinner (preferably someone you owe money) and that it is your treat. Order whatever you want: dessert, drinks, and a 20 oz. steak! Then, when you tell the server to bring the bill, tell your friend you need to use the restroom. While you're back there, tell the server your plan, and then leave the restaurant. After a while, your friend will either look for you or realize what has happened. Have the server wait about twenty minutes and then bring out the bill with "Happy April Fool's Day! Thanks for dinner!" written on it. TIP: For this trick, make sure you wait for them at their car and can pay them back immediately. Messing with someone's money is a tricky business!

3. Got Milk? Add a few drops of food coloring to your milk carton and put it back in the fridge. Remember to offer some to everyone! Yellow and orange dye work then best; they give off a very rotten look.

Quality Classics:

1. You Have Something on Your Shirt: Tell someone they have something on their shirt and point at it; when they look down, flick them in the nose.

2. Woopie Cushion: Fill a woopie cushion with air and place it on someone's chair right as they sit down. Optional tip: Follow with a disgusted, "Excuse you!"

3. Salt or Sugar? Empty out the sugar bowl and saltshaker and switch the contents before a meal.

(Surprise)

"The first of April is the day we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year." ~By Mark Twain~ (April Fool's Day)

Due to slow communication in those days, many people did not receive the news for several years. However, there were others who refused to acknowledge of changes their traditions. Many people continued to celebrate New Year's Day as before on 1st of April.

These people were labeled "fools" by the general population, were subject to ridicule and sent on "fool errands," sent invitations to fake parties and had other practical jokes played upon them. The victims were called 'Poisson d'Avril' or 'April Fish', because a young naive fish is easily caught. In addition, one common practice was to hook a paper fish on the back of someone as a joke. Thus, April Fool's Day originated and was popularly celebrated in England and in the American colonies. It evolved and was caught on quickly throughout the world to trick each other and have fun. Even today, people play pranks on each other on this day in the memory of those tradition-obsessed 'fools'.

"This irritation advance over time and a custom of prank-playing continue on the first day of April. This tradition eventually spread across England in the 18th century and was introduced to the American colonies by the English and the French. Because of this spread to other countries, April Fool's Day has taken on an international flavor with each country celebrating the holiday in its own way " (April Fool Day).

"Practical jokes are a common practice on April Fool's Day. Sometimes, elaborate practical jokes are played on friends or relatives that last the entire day" (April Fool Day!)

"April Fool's Day is a 'for-fun-only' observance. Nobody is expected to buy gifts or to take their "significant other" out to eat in a fancy restaurant. Nobody gets off work or school. It's simply a fun little holiday, but a holiday on which one must remain forever vigilant, for he may be the next April Fool!" (April Fool Day!).

So, no matter where you happen to be in the world on April 1, don't be surprised if April fools fall playfully upon you.

(Uh….can somebody help me here!)

Sources:

"April Fool's Day." FastCounter by bCentral. 20 Feb. 2008. http://homepages.tesco.net/~derek.berger/holidays/aprilfool.html.

Image Workcited:

"April Fool." 20 Feb. 2008. From World Wide Web: http://www.ahajokes.com/g/aprilfools-happyday.gif.

"Glue to Chair." 20 Feb. 2008. From World Wide Web: http://www.kidzworld.com/img/upload/article/a473i0_bla.jpg.

"Surprise." 20 Feb. 2008. From World Wide Web: http://www1.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/2037414/2/istockphoto_2037414_jack_in_the_box.jpg.

"Trick." 20 Feb. 2008. From World Wide Web: http://www.holidayclip-art.com/Images/AprilFoolsDay3.jpg.