By: Nathan Thai
Ending the school year with a senior prank is a tradition in some places. Those who have been through public education as a student or teacher might have stories to tell of epic pranks that teachers and admins probably won’t ever forget. A good senior prank has to be entertaining while still being harmless; vandalism is against the law, in good fun or not, and pulling the fire alarm isn’t good either. It’s a fine line to tread, but a great senior prank can rein in the end of the school year and let the graduating class walk out of high school feeling like aces.
This year at MHS, there has not been very much news about end-of-the-year pranks. It could just be that the big ones are in planning and are being kept under wraps. It could be that the pranks are becoming more subtle over time, or they might be losing popularity. Either way, it’s a shame, because in a way, the senior prank is part of having “school spirit.”
That’s right—school spirit is more than wearing class colors on the appropriate days and screaming at rallies. School spirit embodies ideas like community and identity and pride, and at first thought sowing the seeds of chaos all across campus wouldn’t fit in. But remember: Pranks don’t have to be mean, they only need to be funny.
Even though huge pranks can leave a mess afterward, plenty of people enjoy them. It’s a rare moment for students to get the best of their teachers and administrators for once. Senior pranks are good ways to end the year if you’re on good terms with the school staff (or maybe just to get even with them in a harmless way). After all is done, everyone has a laugh.
There’s something inherently funny about walking into school and seeing that the hallways have been “cleaned” (and soap suds left all over the walls) or silly coded messages have been placed on every locker in the school. That kind of stuff breaks up the monotony of school, which contributes to the homestretch feeling everyone has when the last day of school is but weeks away. And when everyone has a good laugh over it, it really becomes something people can remember fondly.
It’s also just good to end the year on a fun note. For those who care about making memories in high school, collaborating to pull a prank can make for one of the most memorable moments all year. Here’s the sad truth: Not everyone will remember how to divide exponents, but plenty of people will be able to recall the time every desk in every room was flipped upside down.
And for the teachers and administrators who fall victim to mischief, it’s like a test of character. I think most students like when adults are 1) good at their jobs, 2) friendly, and 3) willing to admit to their own mistakes or oversights. All teachers and administrators approach their job differently, but good faith is always important. It doesn’t matter if someone blows up in frustration over a prank or laughs about it with the students; since no one is hurt and people are going to laugh about it in the end, it’s best to embrace the spirit of goofiness once a year.