LUC Opinions: April Fools isn’t Fooling Anyone

April Fools is like Surprise Birthday Parties because Surprise Birthday Parties can really only happen during birthdays. The problem there is that during your birthday you expect them, and so you aren’t actually surprised. That’s right LUCers, walking into your friend's room at 12:00 at night to “surprise” them… it's not really surprising (instead try a time like noon, or 6 am). Similarly, anything you say or do on April Fool’s day which seems slightly unrealistic or fishy, or potentially attempting to fool is obviously an April Fools joke.

Now, having not-surprising Surprise Birthday Parties, and having April Fool’s jokes which aren’t fooling anyone isn’t a major problem, and doesn’t warrant major changes (except maybe dropping the words “surprising” and “fools” respectively). Yet something remains unaddressed because we always end up having to feign surprise, or pretend being fooled. Every time it's your birthday you are surprised by your birthday-hat-toting friends with a cake, singing “Happy Birthday,” even though by now it is a routine. Every time you have to pretend to be extremely surprised and grateful, but by now you don't feel anything. You've grown a thick birthday callus because, truthfully, Birthday Surprises are just a cold exchange of favors. They are all doing this for you, so that you will do it for them when their birthday comes up. The same routine is true for April Fool jokes, they usually don't fool anyone (unless they are really good or you catch someone unaware), but regardless, when someone makes one, you have to smile, nod, and appreciate it.

Now, what would be the solution to break this repetitive routine of pretend? Well, you could throw a surprise birthday party a week after your friend's birthday and then truly surprise them. Or, start an April Fool’s joke a few days earlier and reveal it on the day. Alternatively, start it a few days later, and exclaim “Belated April Fools,” upon your great revelation. Finally, for an extra surprise, you can double fake; tell someone something and make them think its a joke, when it really isn't! But please, anything you do, don’t make a tired attempt at an April Fools joke, or a Surprised Birthday Party just because you are expected to.

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