Pranksters usually fall into one of two categories: Those that use other people’s ideas, and those that like to invent their own mischief. Now there’s absolutely nothing wrong with borrowing a good prank—some of my personal favorites have blossomed from stuff I’ve seen online or have been told by friends.
But for those of you that like to come up with your own, I thought I’d provide a few tips of the trade. There are three basic areas you need to concentrate on before testing out a newly invented prank.
First: what aspect of office life are you planning to affect with your prank? A few good basic ideas to start with are routine, comfort, and daily needs. The best office pranks cross over into several of these categories. For example, if you mess with some ones computer or car (which they use every day for work—it’s part of their routine) it would surprise them and throw them right out of their comfort zone.
The next thing you need to remember is the element of surprise. You always want your plan to be secret and the props for your prank to remain hidden. This is very important to the success of your over all prank. With enough calculation, you can catch anyone off guard.
Once you have a rough idea of your desired prank, there is one more aspect you need to think of: Does your prank over do it? To be more specific, does your prank destroy something, or does it cease to be funny and just cross the line?
These are very important things to think about while planning your prank. It’s essential to keep your prank in moderation. Trying to overdo it will most likely take a good prank and turn it into something completely out of line or inappropriate. And that defeats the entire purpose of a prank—which is to spread a little laughter.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Know Your Boundaries
As much fun as there is to be had in the world of pranking, there are certain areas and boundaries you should never cross. More often than not, a good dose of common sense is all it takes to realize whether or not a prank is a good idea.
Generally speaking, you don’t want to over embarrass or humiliate someone with your prank. This goes for things like disclosing personal information and exposing things that are considered private. (This is especially true while pranking in the work place.) Try to keep things professional. Remember, the goal is to simply have fun.
Another thing to keep in mind is collateral damage. You don’t want your prank to permanently break something. This would be very bad, especially in an office. For breaking someone’s desk or computer would be a complete mess. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you can’t make something think you broke something. That kind of trickery is actually a great way to catch someone off guard. People tend to get anxious and (understandably) angry when they think something’s broken. Then when they realize it’s not, they get excited—making your prank a success.
You also want your victim/coworker to be able to continue their day with out too much trouble after discovering the prank. That means that ideas like water gun wars that completely soak someone at their cubicle (probably destroying the contents of their pockets and desk in the mean time) would also ruin the rest of their schedule for the day. So, while this prank is great for picnics and lazy summer days at home, it would not work for the office.
You also need to be very careful of tampering with personal property. Things such as paint and food on someone’s car are out of line and just plain destructive. (However, filling the inside of the car with packing peanuts is not only fine… it’s extremely funny.)
That’s really what it comes down to: Pranks should be funny, not destructive.
Generally speaking, you don’t want to over embarrass or humiliate someone with your prank. This goes for things like disclosing personal information and exposing things that are considered private. (This is especially true while pranking in the work place.) Try to keep things professional. Remember, the goal is to simply have fun.
Another thing to keep in mind is collateral damage. You don’t want your prank to permanently break something. This would be very bad, especially in an office. For breaking someone’s desk or computer would be a complete mess. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you can’t make something think you broke something. That kind of trickery is actually a great way to catch someone off guard. People tend to get anxious and (understandably) angry when they think something’s broken. Then when they realize it’s not, they get excited—making your prank a success.
You also want your victim/coworker to be able to continue their day with out too much trouble after discovering the prank. That means that ideas like water gun wars that completely soak someone at their cubicle (probably destroying the contents of their pockets and desk in the mean time) would also ruin the rest of their schedule for the day. So, while this prank is great for picnics and lazy summer days at home, it would not work for the office.
You also need to be very careful of tampering with personal property. Things such as paint and food on someone’s car are out of line and just plain destructive. (However, filling the inside of the car with packing peanuts is not only fine… it’s extremely funny.)
That’s really what it comes down to: Pranks should be funny, not destructive.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Water Cooler Mischief
Last night, insomnia struck.
So there I was, wide awake at 2 am, surfing the internet for funny office prank ideas. I must admit, there were a few that stood out. One page in particular that caught my eye had ideas for messing with the water coolers.
The first group removed all of the cups from the dispenser cone. They then proceeded to fill the bottom of each cup with a hefty pinch of table salt. Some of their coworkers tried around 2 or 3 cups. Others glared at the big plastic container of water. But soon enough everyone found out that someone had messed with the cups. The best part was watching everyone come around to see other people fall for the same joke they did.
The second one was by a guy that worked in a post office building. He decided to poke holes on the bottom of a few of the cups. This was especially funny because people didn’t notice the water was leaking and all walked off with water spots dribbling down the front of their shirts.
I guess it just goes to show that people who fall into predictable routines make the perfect mark for an office prankster.
The final water cooler prank took place at another office building. One of the more important elements was that it was done in the summer. This one is especially effective when people are coming back to the cooler all day. (They tend to not pay attention to detail after a while)
That’s exactly what was going on when the clever prankster swapped the warm and cold water tabs on the cooler. Of course, this one is only “cool” to do if you have warm water in your cooler. Hot water would burn… and that’s not a prank, it’s downright mean.
So there I was, wide awake at 2 am, surfing the internet for funny office prank ideas. I must admit, there were a few that stood out. One page in particular that caught my eye had ideas for messing with the water coolers.
The first group removed all of the cups from the dispenser cone. They then proceeded to fill the bottom of each cup with a hefty pinch of table salt. Some of their coworkers tried around 2 or 3 cups. Others glared at the big plastic container of water. But soon enough everyone found out that someone had messed with the cups. The best part was watching everyone come around to see other people fall for the same joke they did.
The second one was by a guy that worked in a post office building. He decided to poke holes on the bottom of a few of the cups. This was especially funny because people didn’t notice the water was leaking and all walked off with water spots dribbling down the front of their shirts.
I guess it just goes to show that people who fall into predictable routines make the perfect mark for an office prankster.
The final water cooler prank took place at another office building. One of the more important elements was that it was done in the summer. This one is especially effective when people are coming back to the cooler all day. (They tend to not pay attention to detail after a while)
That’s exactly what was going on when the clever prankster swapped the warm and cold water tabs on the cooler. Of course, this one is only “cool” to do if you have warm water in your cooler. Hot water would burn… and that’s not a prank, it’s downright mean.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Tools of the Trade
Everyone likes to pull their own original practical jokes. Some are a little crazier than others… but like the Boy Scouts, it’s best to always be prepared. In honor of that spirit, I thought I’d put together a list of must have tools to keep on hand for successful pranks.
Like any well thought out job, pranks are impossible without the right equipment. So, you could say that this is a list of staples—essential tools to keep on hand, for those times when a good prank is but a moment away:
First and foremost, tape is key. Clear, duct, scotch, packing... anything will work, as long as it sticks. (Although, just as a side note, it’s always good have duct tape around. They say it’s like The Force: it has a dark side, a light side, and holds the universe together)
The next thing you should keep handy is trip wire of some sort. Things like fishing wire and dental floss work well. You’ll want to stick with things that are clear so people don’t catch on to it. This kind of thing is usually used for traps like the proverbial falling water balloon and things of that nature.
Another very important thing to have on hand is glue. You’ll want a strong adhesive, preferably clear. This is good for any modifications you might be doing to your victim’s belongings. There are some adhesives that work better than others at holding heavy things. Just read the labels carefully for details.
Other nefarious tools of the prankster trade might already be sitting on or in your desk: Scissors, markers, or a screwdriver will all come in handy eventually. You might want to look into getting a small box of nails.
Most importantly, you need a good imagination and a sense of humor. Without them, your prank toolbox might as well be empty. Any suggestions out there for other “must haves”?
Like any well thought out job, pranks are impossible without the right equipment. So, you could say that this is a list of staples—essential tools to keep on hand, for those times when a good prank is but a moment away:
First and foremost, tape is key. Clear, duct, scotch, packing... anything will work, as long as it sticks. (Although, just as a side note, it’s always good have duct tape around. They say it’s like The Force: it has a dark side, a light side, and holds the universe together)
The next thing you should keep handy is trip wire of some sort. Things like fishing wire and dental floss work well. You’ll want to stick with things that are clear so people don’t catch on to it. This kind of thing is usually used for traps like the proverbial falling water balloon and things of that nature.
Another very important thing to have on hand is glue. You’ll want a strong adhesive, preferably clear. This is good for any modifications you might be doing to your victim’s belongings. There are some adhesives that work better than others at holding heavy things. Just read the labels carefully for details.
Other nefarious tools of the prankster trade might already be sitting on or in your desk: Scissors, markers, or a screwdriver will all come in handy eventually. You might want to look into getting a small box of nails.
Most importantly, you need a good imagination and a sense of humor. Without them, your prank toolbox might as well be empty. Any suggestions out there for other “must haves”?
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Gorilla Glue
I was surfing the web on my free time last week when I saw the one of the most hilarious office pranks I’ve seen in a long time. Now I’ve been known to play a few pranks, but it’s been a while seen I’ve seen one this good. It was beautifully executed: Some people took the belongings off of their coworker’s desk and super glued everything to the ceiling. The only things left behind were the desk and chair. While it gave me a chuckle, I eventually forgot about it.
That is, until this past weekend, when I was out shopping and stumbled across something called “Gorilla Glue”. According to the bottle, this stuff is made to stick anything together. Anything, huh?
I had a sudden vision of my friend Alex’s office turned completely topsey turvey. He and I have adjoining suites, and it’s a bit of a competition between the two of us to see who can out-prank the other. It was at that exact moment that my wicked idea was hatched. From the beginning I knew that this was going to be no ordinary prank. First things first—I went and sought permission from the boss. (The prank war may be cool, but I wasn’t about to bank my career on it!)Luckily for me, he thought it was hilarious and immediately gave me the green light.
So Tuesday morning, I set out extra early, armed with two bottles of this super powerful Gorilla Glue. Before I started, I took a picture of his desk so that I could properly recreate his desk upside down. When I began to glue the objects to the ceiling, I had forgotten that I needed to hold them down for a few seconds, which in return made me cut it close.
As I was walking back to my desk Alex passed me in the hall. (It wasn’t until then that I realized how close I had actually cut it!)
It took about 30 seconds before the whole office heard “What THE…”
The look on his face when I made it back to his door was priceless. Even better was watching him try and remove the contents of his desk from where they were neatly glued to his office ceiling! Note that this gorilla glue is not made to be taken off. So... with his stuff came the paint.
They have yet to fix his ceiling. What Alex does have is a new office nickname to go with the look- “Patches”
That is, until this past weekend, when I was out shopping and stumbled across something called “Gorilla Glue”. According to the bottle, this stuff is made to stick anything together. Anything, huh?
I had a sudden vision of my friend Alex’s office turned completely topsey turvey. He and I have adjoining suites, and it’s a bit of a competition between the two of us to see who can out-prank the other. It was at that exact moment that my wicked idea was hatched. From the beginning I knew that this was going to be no ordinary prank. First things first—I went and sought permission from the boss. (The prank war may be cool, but I wasn’t about to bank my career on it!)Luckily for me, he thought it was hilarious and immediately gave me the green light.
So Tuesday morning, I set out extra early, armed with two bottles of this super powerful Gorilla Glue. Before I started, I took a picture of his desk so that I could properly recreate his desk upside down. When I began to glue the objects to the ceiling, I had forgotten that I needed to hold them down for a few seconds, which in return made me cut it close.
As I was walking back to my desk Alex passed me in the hall. (It wasn’t until then that I realized how close I had actually cut it!)
It took about 30 seconds before the whole office heard “What THE…”
The look on his face when I made it back to his door was priceless. Even better was watching him try and remove the contents of his desk from where they were neatly glued to his office ceiling! Note that this gorilla glue is not made to be taken off. So... with his stuff came the paint.
They have yet to fix his ceiling. What Alex does have is a new office nickname to go with the look- “Patches”
Saturday, March 13, 2010
The Great Post-It Caper
Today’s office prank comes from a close friend of mine, whose office is almost as mischievous as mine. His entire floor conspired against an unsuspecting department head, with awesome results:
“The other day, I was thinking about how long it had been since we’d pranked a coworker. More specifically, I was thinking that my department head was long overdue for a little fun. He’s a great guy, and we all get along swimmingly. He’s also been overworked and a little tense lately.
Please note: I would not recommend this if you do not have a casual relationship with your boss. But we lucked out, as our boss has been in the prank game along with everyone else on our floor.
The idea was born as I was scanning the internet for ideas for a big research project. There it was, on the screen, almost like it was meant just for us: someone had covered their roommate’s bedroom completely in yellow post-it notes, from ceiling to floor.
Now, I knew it was an ambitious prank. I also knew that the look on Erik’s face when he walked into his normally pristine office and found it wallpapered in post-its would be its own reward for pulling it off. Later that afternoon, I proposed the plan to my partners in crime. When the boss-man announced that he’d be leaving early on Friday for an out of office meeting, we sprang into action.
Once committed fully, we realized that this was going to be the one of the most elaborate pranks any of us have even thought of trying. We then had to figure out, and fast, how we were going to get all the post-its required to cover his whole office. We decided that we’d all pitch in money, to buy the boxes of post it’s needed. (There are close to 40 people in our entire department, so it wasn’t nearly as costly as we’d fear, since everyone was willing to be a pal)
Once we had collected the funds, I went online and bought wholesale, off brand post-its at a fabulous price. A couple of days later, the rather large package showed up on my porch.
That evening, we patiently waited for Erik to head out before hauling the post-its to his office. It took about 3 hours and 8 people to finish. We all arrived early the next morning to see the chief’s reaction. Sure enough at 8 am sharp, he walked in.
We heard him open his office, walk in, and a second later… the sound of hysterical laughter. The reaction was priceless- well worth the hard work.”
Haha… good job, guys. Anyone else out there have a great prank story to share?
“The other day, I was thinking about how long it had been since we’d pranked a coworker. More specifically, I was thinking that my department head was long overdue for a little fun. He’s a great guy, and we all get along swimmingly. He’s also been overworked and a little tense lately.
Please note: I would not recommend this if you do not have a casual relationship with your boss. But we lucked out, as our boss has been in the prank game along with everyone else on our floor.
The idea was born as I was scanning the internet for ideas for a big research project. There it was, on the screen, almost like it was meant just for us: someone had covered their roommate’s bedroom completely in yellow post-it notes, from ceiling to floor.
Now, I knew it was an ambitious prank. I also knew that the look on Erik’s face when he walked into his normally pristine office and found it wallpapered in post-its would be its own reward for pulling it off. Later that afternoon, I proposed the plan to my partners in crime. When the boss-man announced that he’d be leaving early on Friday for an out of office meeting, we sprang into action.
Once committed fully, we realized that this was going to be the one of the most elaborate pranks any of us have even thought of trying. We then had to figure out, and fast, how we were going to get all the post-its required to cover his whole office. We decided that we’d all pitch in money, to buy the boxes of post it’s needed. (There are close to 40 people in our entire department, so it wasn’t nearly as costly as we’d fear, since everyone was willing to be a pal)
Once we had collected the funds, I went online and bought wholesale, off brand post-its at a fabulous price. A couple of days later, the rather large package showed up on my porch.
That evening, we patiently waited for Erik to head out before hauling the post-its to his office. It took about 3 hours and 8 people to finish. We all arrived early the next morning to see the chief’s reaction. Sure enough at 8 am sharp, he walked in.
We heard him open his office, walk in, and a second later… the sound of hysterical laughter. The reaction was priceless- well worth the hard work.”
Haha… good job, guys. Anyone else out there have a great prank story to share?
Computer War
Here we go again...
When I got to work yesterday morning, everyone was loitering by my office door. At first I didn’t think twice about it... Until I realized that it was unusually quiet. That’s when the alarms in my head started to sound. From past experience, I knew something just wasn’t right.
Usually, the building is bustling with ringing phones and people laughing, but none of that was going on. It was only after I started up my computer to get to work that I realized that the keys on my keyboard had been switched by the nice people in the art department. Not only were the letters mixed up, they spelled out a few less than wholesome adjectives. I had to admit, despite my confusion, it was a good one. (And after the havoc I wreaked on their computer mice, well deserved)
Of course, I then had to proceed to find someone else’s keyboard to arrange the keys back into position. Funny how after years of touch typing, I still don’t have the darned thing memorized!
Now, you have to know that I couldn’t allow that to be the end of it… Revenge would me mine. So today I got up extra early and went to work. My intent? To play a little computer game of my own. Mainly: changing the language settings on everyone’s desktop.
I made my way into the art department, figuring that I wanted to make everyone’s screen display look like it had been redone in hieroglyphics. Japanese was close enough.
Once the office had filled with my coworkers, the building was filled with laughter and a healthy dose of confusion. The worst part, at least for them, was that they had to keep running upstairs to see how the options menu was configured in order to change their computers back one by one.
I’m usually not one to be cocky but I must admit, I reveled in the glory of my revenge for the rest of the morning. The last laugh was mine. (At least for now)It’s all in good fun... and boy does it make for an exciting workplace.
Gandhi once said, “An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.” Well at our office, the tech department has coined a similar motto: “A prank for a prank leaves everyone with messed up computer drives.” I have a feeling they’ll be plotting some revenge of their own soon.
When I got to work yesterday morning, everyone was loitering by my office door. At first I didn’t think twice about it... Until I realized that it was unusually quiet. That’s when the alarms in my head started to sound. From past experience, I knew something just wasn’t right.
Usually, the building is bustling with ringing phones and people laughing, but none of that was going on. It was only after I started up my computer to get to work that I realized that the keys on my keyboard had been switched by the nice people in the art department. Not only were the letters mixed up, they spelled out a few less than wholesome adjectives. I had to admit, despite my confusion, it was a good one. (And after the havoc I wreaked on their computer mice, well deserved)
Of course, I then had to proceed to find someone else’s keyboard to arrange the keys back into position. Funny how after years of touch typing, I still don’t have the darned thing memorized!
Now, you have to know that I couldn’t allow that to be the end of it… Revenge would me mine. So today I got up extra early and went to work. My intent? To play a little computer game of my own. Mainly: changing the language settings on everyone’s desktop.
I made my way into the art department, figuring that I wanted to make everyone’s screen display look like it had been redone in hieroglyphics. Japanese was close enough.
Once the office had filled with my coworkers, the building was filled with laughter and a healthy dose of confusion. The worst part, at least for them, was that they had to keep running upstairs to see how the options menu was configured in order to change their computers back one by one.
I’m usually not one to be cocky but I must admit, I reveled in the glory of my revenge for the rest of the morning. The last laugh was mine. (At least for now)It’s all in good fun... and boy does it make for an exciting workplace.
Gandhi once said, “An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.” Well at our office, the tech department has coined a similar motto: “A prank for a prank leaves everyone with messed up computer drives.” I have a feeling they’ll be plotting some revenge of their own soon.
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