This April Fools’ Day, it’s time to reclaim the art of the prank: something that shocks or annoys someone without ruining their week, or their life. It seems that the spirit of the unofficial holiday sits at the same level as NYU school spirit, when we could all use a little more whimsy in our lives — and with these six pranks, you can hopefully bring some much-needed laughter into someone’s day. 

The classic whoopee cushion
(Noor Maahin for WSN)

Call me immature, but there is nothing more hilarious than the sound of a fart — which is why the whoopee cushion always delivers on April Fools’ Day. Not only is secretly placing the toy on someone’s chair and waiting for the cushion to let it rip incredibly giggle-inducing, but whoopee cushions are also fairly accessible. At Abracadabra NYC, a costume and magic shop a few blocks north of Union Square, the standard whoopee cushion is only $4.95 — or, if you’re in a more scandalous mood, the 12-inch “Mighty Whoopee Cushion” is priced at $14.95. Whether you place the toy on your friend’s seat on one of Bobst Library’s silent floors or on a crowded bench in Washington Square Park, this harmless prank is bound to get plenty of laughs. 

— Noor Maahin, Identity & Equity Editor

The Bobst ding dong ditch
(Noor Maahin for WSN)

That feeling of sitting in a Bobst individual study room: not bothered by the noise of anyone else’s typing, or the distraction of feeling observed while you’re trying to be productive. Even without a LibCal reservation, it’s easy to sneak in — studying with just you and your laptop. Until, that is, the person who actually reserved the room knocks on the door, breaking your solace and staring back at you awkwardly. This April Fools’ Day, have some harmless fun recreating the uniquely humbling experience of being evicted from the study room for that one friend who loves a private study session. As they settle into their coveted isolated space and begin laboring away at their assignments in peace, approach the door, leave that spine-chilling knock, and quickly vanish — making sure not to be seen through the door. Continue this pattern, leaving sufficient intervals between each knock for them to re-lock in, ensuring optimal disruption.

        — Colette Yehl, Food Editor

The rat trail
(Noor Maahin for WSN)

College in the city means that part of the NYU student experience is sharing your home with New York’s iconic, yet detested rats. With rat sightings at residence halls like Paulson Center and Third Avenue North — and even in Palladium dining hall — it’s no surprise that some students feel on edge. To use that fear to its full potential, find a roommate or friend that is especially afraid of these rodents and stick a remote-controlled rat underneath their pillow, on the corner of their fridge or on the floor near their couch. Controlling its movements from a safe distance away, have the rat follow around an oblivious friend merely eating lunch or a barely-conscious roommate who just woke up — you could even make the toy nibble at their feet for an added jump scare. Abracadabra also sells fake rats for $11.95. 

      — Shreeya Goyal, Beauty & Style Editor

The Rodrick Heffley
(Noor Maahin for WSN)

A midday nap is a staple in the daily lives of college students, ranging from a quick 20-minute power nap in between classes to upwards of two hours before a long night of studying. For an unsuspecting roommate, you can move in Rodrick Heffley fashion to turn their hour nap to a whole night of REM sleep — switch the clock on their phone to a time zone well ahead of Eastern Time, shut the curtains for complete darkness in the room and enhance the aroma of morning by cooking breakfast classics, like pancakes and eggs, so their smells will waft from the kitchen. If you consider yourself a good actor, take the extra step of shaking your roommate with haste, urging them to get out of bed before they miss their morning class. I’ve been the unfortunate victim of this prank, but while it dangerously spikes your cortisol for a second, I can assure you the anxiety lasts for only a few minutes. 

— Julia Kim, Culture Editor

The dining hall sabotage
(Noor Maahin for WSN)

Those who have meal plans know that the buffet-style dishes at Downstein or Lipton dining hall sometimes need an extra sprinkling of salt or pepper. Prank an unsuspecting friend by grabbing one of the seasoning shakers from a table and replacing their respective seasonings with sugar — or, if you really want to go crazy, fill them with milk or wasabi salt to immediately ruin someone’s meal. But carry out this prank at your own peril, as woe betide anyone who gets caught by the sharp-eyed dining hall employee. But if you do get away with it, settle back at an unassuming corner table and observe the looks of confusion and disgust of other students as they bite into a weirdly sweet slice of dining hall pizza. Just be sure to refill the shaker with the appropriate seasoning afterward. 

— Ivanka Sun, Culture Editor

The Violet pride
(Noor Maahin for WSN)

If a friend of yours is short on school spirit, and you’re willing to go a little far with your pranks, consider swapping out someone’s conditioner or shampoo for purple hair dye or hair chalk — easily obtainable at your nearest CVS for $9.79. This works best on people with light colored hair, but just make sure it’s a temporary dye that’ll wash right out. If you want to be a little kinder, swapping out hand lotion or hand soap for purple paint can have a similar but less risky effect. Hopefully being shocked by a drop of bright purple will remind your friend to wear their Violet colors with pride — and not make anyone too mad. Try this one on an unassuming roommate or someone else whose bathroom you have access to regularly, and just be prepared to clean up any splattered purple afterward. 

—  Sam Donagi, Deputy Culture Editor

Contact Noor Maahin, Colette Yehl, Shreeya Goyal, Julia Kim, Ivanka Sun and Sam Donagi at [email protected].