Pranks, in general
Almost everyone can appreciate a tasteful prank. Pranks that come to mind are slamming someones head into their own birthday cake, taping closed a faucet, and others. These are all fine, but senior pranks are different. Some might say that they have also been dying out as of recently. This is likely because senior pranks are known for having a tendency to cause chaos. If you ask a senior, they might say that the staff needs to lighten up, unless they themselves have been affected by a senior prank. So what can you do? Well, you can follow the general guidelines for having a fun, but safe time.
Do not vandalize
One of the main issues with senior pranks are their lasting effects. Destruction or damage of property is a big no-go when it comes to pranks on private property. In fact, anyone caught doing it can be fined for the cost of the repairs and then some. If you were the one organizing the effort to deface the school building, you could even face the threat of being expelled before you graduate. So, it’s imperative that no damage is done to the building as to keep the staff and the law happy.
Do not be disruptive
There have been countless times where a prank has gone too far or annoyed too many teachers. Being a nuisance to the class is fun to nobody, and should definitely be avoided. This means that a prank must remain quiet and subtle in order to be considered “harmless” to the staff body.
No littering
The last thing anybody wants to deal with after a prank is the cleanup. This rules out a lot of common pranks. There can be no paper waste left around, no animals in the school that could leave dirt or other grossness, and, again, no vandalism. We love our janitorial staff, especially here at CCHS, so it would be in everyone’s best interest to keep things clean and organized.
Involving the staff
One or two of these rules can be somewhat negated by having a slight bit of staff involvement. Of course, it wouldn’t truly be a prank if every single faculty member knew it was coming. That’s why you should only shoot for letting the key staff know. These key people could include the principal or principals, counselors, or janitorial faculty. Having a portion of the staff on your side, or even just getting permission from them and letting them set the ground rules can go a long way when it comes to planning a prank.
Reflection
These are the essential guidelines for a good prank. To summarize, the prank must be quiet and leave no trace. Let them know that something is coming, but let it be subtle. While it does narrow down the potential options of what is possible, it leaves room for psychological pranks that aim to confuse, but not harm. Examples of this would be to have everyone bring the same item to school, all of them dress up in a theme, or something along those lines. It’s not hard to have a senior prank, all you have to do is ensure that it truly is “harmless”.
