A widely known day throughout the year for pranks, humor, and surprise is April Fools’ Day, a holiday that brings joy in some, and annoyance in others. However, a poll from YouGovAmerica shows that the majority of people find April Fools’ Day pranks more annoying than amusing. The National Post states that it is very hard to make pranks unexpected nowadays because there is rarely an element of surprise. The pranks are repetitive as they have taken place on the same day in years past

“I think April Fools’ Day is very fun,” junior Preston Anderson said. “It [is] basically an excuse to prank your friends and family and make them laugh.”

A poll of 124 people taken on Feb. 25 during lunch and on Instagram shows that most people believe it is better to prank friends than family. 

“In my opinion, the best people to prank are friends,” Anderson said. “With family, you are with them a lot and are not able to put together a really good prank, [but] with friends you have time to sneak in a really good prank.”

According to Live Science, April Fools’ Day pranks on friends and siblings creates a much stronger bond between them, as being able to joke and poke fun with others helps to build social relationships. Live Science also states that laughter itself is stress relieving. This type of bonding opportunity does not come very often so it is a rare chance to connect with close people.

“[April Fools’ Day] has really helped me bond with my closest friends,” junior Swastik Agarwal said. “It has helped me stay in touch with them because we celebrate it like a tradition.”

According to 1063 Buzz, the most common stunts are prank calls, scaring someone, lying and other tricks that don’t require too much effort. Although many people laugh off pranks, people must be cautious of how extreme their pranks are and who they are pranking, as the majority of people find it annoying.

“The best prank that has happened to me in the past was when one of my friends put a ton of confetti on my fan so I could not see it,” Anderson said. “Then, when I [turned] my fan on, confetti [flew] everywhere.”

While April Fools’ pranks bond people together, Live Science also states that this one day to be able to misbehave acts as a way to vent built up energy and the tendency to want to act up. Once someone misbehaves on this day, they must go back to the social norms, and April Fools’ Day helps enforce that because there is that one day to release the will to misbehave.

“I always anticipate April Fools’ Day,” Agarwal said. “I am so excited to see the better and more creative pranks pulled on me every year.”