Believe it or not, I was a pretty diabolical freshman. My innocent angelic appearance hid my wicked side quite well. Very few were let into my world of evil plotting.

The focus of my master plans was pranking, which might sound simple, but there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes to construct an artful prank. Looking back at a few of my favorite highlights, here are some tips on how to pull off a sick prank.

1. Be nice. It was the end of my freshman cross country season. Every Friday, the upperclassmen drove their underclassmen “sisters” to pasta parties, and my sister and I were caught in a rivalry against another senior and her sisters. My sister suggested we do something to the other girl’s car for the last pasta party, making her arrive to the party late. But pranks are only funny if everyone is laughing, so we had to be careful with our choice. On the day of the party, we snuck out just before practice and smothered the outside of her car in shaving cream, leaving her only a Glenbrook North pool towel to clean it with. Was it fun? Of course. Was she mad? You bet. Did we all laugh about it 30 minutes later? Definitely. Successful prank.
2. Stand your ground. One of my senior Peer Group leaders heard about my first accomplishment. He couldn’t believe someone as innocent as me could help pull off such a mischievous prank. He teased me in Peer Group, daring me to try something on him. Prank rivalries can foster close friendships, so if given the opportunity definitely take it or start one yourself. My leader never expected me to follow through. Little did he know, I was plotting. I asked my friend Elena from Peer Group to help me, and we spent a night making caramel apples for the last day of Peer Group. The next day, we carried our scrumptious tray of apples into school. In Peer Group, we served the apples to everyone and our leader took a glorious bite of his big, fat, round caramel-covered onion. He chewed for a second before screaming and racing to the trash can. Was it fun? Of course. Was he mad? Not after a moment. Did I prove myself? Definitely. Successful prank.
3. Be spontaneous. It was a regular day at GBN and I was headed to English class. I was a little bored, so I decided to shake things up a bit. While my friend Richard was in the bathroom during the passing period, I pulled a speaker out of my backpack and turned the volume all the way up. I hid the speaker in his backpack and then waited. Once he came back, I blasted “Booty Man” by Tim Wilson. Everyone, including Richard, was confused, looking at the teacher then the loudspeaker trying to find the source of the music. Everyone stared in Richard’s direction as he, bewildered, made a face like he’d just lost his mom in the grocery store. Was it fun? Of course. Was he mad? Nope. Did I spice up the day a little bit? Definitely. Successful prank.

Pranking is an art form that anyone can excel at. When done nicely, it’s a fun way to make the occasionally monotonous days a little more exciting. It can brighten someone’s day and even start a joking rivalry, so your teenage years can be as entertaining as you make them. I’ve had lots of fun so far, and I’m hoping to continue making harmless commotion in college. But, there’s still time for me to leave more of a mark here.

4. Senior Prank. TBD