April Fool’s Day Brings Pranks, Practical Jokes
Saturday is April Fool’s Day, a day during which many members of the campus community will prank their family members and friends.
While no one knows the exact date that the first practical joke was pulled, many believe that April Fool’s Day was first celebrated in the 1500s. According to History.com, some historians trace the origins of the holiday to France.
One legend has it that the first prank was to tape a paper fish to the back of someone’s shirt. This symbolized that the person was gullible.
In ancient Rome, people would dress in disguise and make fun of citizens and magistrates. There is also the notion that April Fool’s Day is related to the vernal equinox, the first day of spring. This stems from the idea that Mother Nature played a practical joke on the world by changing up the weather.
The tradition of April Fool’s Day spread across the world in the 18th century. In Scotland, people would spend two days pinning tails on donkeys and sending people on phony errands.
Pranks in the modern day have consisted of everything from fake news articles to misplacing someone’s car. In 1985, a Sports Illustrated writer wrote a piece about a rookie pitcher who was spotted throwing a 168 mph fastball.
In 1996, the popular fast food chain Taco Bell tricked its customers, claiming that the company had purchased the Liberty Bell and was going to turn it into the “Taco Liberty Bell.”
On campus, many students have been both the prankers and on the receiving end of April Fool’s Day pranks.
When asked if he had any April Fool’s Day plans for this week, Bryce Kurpiel, a senior in the Physician Assistant Program said “maybe, but I think it will be pretty hard to top last year.”
A year ago, Kurpiel and a couple of his friends relocated this writer’s mattress onto the pool table in Amici Hall.
“It’s fun to prank people on April Fool’s Day because no one can trust anything anyone says,” said Christian Kline.
“That’s the nature of the holiday.”
Students aren’t the only ones who will engage in some good-natured pranks. If history repeats itself this week, many professors will tell their students that they have a pop quiz on Friday.
Senior Stefano Petruccelli said he loves the holiday, but that he is constantly on the lookout throughout the day.
“I hope nothing serious happens to any of my stuff,” he said.
