By, Caroline G. ’19 and Leslie M. ’19

Senior pranks at Winsor have historically been a little, shall we say, prank-less. Although past senior pranks have been fun-filled days with candy and themes, they have always fallen outside of the prank category. In order to ‘prank’ the school, seniors must first get permission from the Head of School, run their ideas by the administration, set a specific date, and clean up any remnants of the festivities before the end of the day. This year, however, the Senior Class of 2018 veered from the traditional themed day and legitimately pranked the school, something current Winsor students have not seen before.

The day, which commenced like any other, suddenly changed when students walked by the Upper School hallway. Looking into the Head of the Upper School’s office, one could see nothing but colorful balloons and the slightly exposed top of Mrs. M’s head as she attempted to work at her desk. It was a good laugh for both the faculty and the student body, and we all went to class satisfied with the prank. To our surprise, however, the day had only just begun.

Throughout first period, alarm clocks, which were strategically placed in locked closets or hard-to-reach places, periodically went off, disrupting classes and causing much confusion. It was an amusing ploy that filled the students with excitement, for we knew that more pranks were likely to follow. Sure enough, during assembly, the SASS heads announced that the students should expect donuts in the cafeteria. Having been lured by the promise of food, the key to any Winsor student’s heart, we were greeted not by the highly-anticipated donuts, but rather by Dunkin’ Donuts boxes filled with creepy, miniature baby dolls. Additionally, a sea of students’ backpacks had been zip-tied together when everyone was inside the theater. To add to the chaos, the sound of “Careless Whisper” by George Michael could be heard throughout the halls as an unknown man playing a saxophone serenaded Head of School Ms. P. wherever she went. Needless to say, their relationship was a tale of unrequited love. Additionally, the seniors hung embarrassing pictures of teachers on the walls and covered classroom projectors to inhibit learning (something the students not only laughed at but also were thankful for). The day was something students will never forget.

So what has the rest of the school thought about this new tradition? Did the seniors go too far or have they only grazed the surface of new prank possibilities? Many juniors felt in awe of the seniors’ pranking skills. When asking junior Siri K. ’19 about the prank, she responded, “It was the first real prank the seniors have ever done.” Her words ring true, as Siri has only experienced themed days since her coming in Class I. Anya S. ’19 added, “They embodied the true spirit of a senior prank while still remaining within the constraints of the administration.” The seniors truly did capture the sense of a senior prank by preparing many different tricks to keep the school entertained. What is interesting, however, is that the seniors did not actually “remain within the constraints of the administration.” In fact, senior Madison L. ’18 told us that “Ms. P. and Ms. M. [the Head of Upper School] were very receptive to having us not get any approval, and when the day actually came, both were really good sports, and they definitely made the day a lot more fun!” Madison also said, “As a class, we [the Senior Class] felt that the spirit of the prank was getting too soft. We wanted to do a real prank and make it an awesome day for the seniors and a hassle for everyone else… so we went all out.” By challenging the rules, the seniors were able to pull off an entertaining and hilarious prank, and it left not only the students but also the faculty on their toes throughout the day.

More than a month later, laminated business cards inscribed with “You’ve been pranked, Winsor Class of 2018!” can still be found in the cracks and crevices of Winsor. However, the legacy of this year’s prank is not limited to its business cards. It has sparked a new tradition and changed the expectation for future Winsor seniors. What was once a themed day catered to Lower Schoolers has now become a full-fledged prank day. Class of 2019, we have big shoes to fill!