April Fools' Day, Lab Edition
So I can’t say I have been the biggest jokester in our Lab on previous April Fools’ days. However, since this will be the last April Fools with this set of colleagues I have realized I have an opportunity. After much consideration and an in-depth review of available jokes, I have selected my five favorite jokes to play on labmates! And of course, I want to share the joy of these with you in this April Fools’ Lab Pranks blog.
Before we start we would like to mention our April Fools’ Lab Pranks challenge!
-> Share a picture of your April Fools' Lab Pranks and tag us in the post
We will select a winner from all participants that will receive their very own Science Avatar!
A little Scientist you, that will help you promote your science and will look great on the Questions slide of every presentation!
Example Science Avatar
April Fools falls on a Saterday this year. So you will have plenty of time to prepare the jokes for your labmates to find on a Monday!
The 5 Best April Fools' Jokes To Pull On Labmates!
Ok time to get to it! I promised you 5 amazing April fools’ joke to pull in the Lab on your colleagues and I mean to deliver. We will count down to my favorite so don’t forget to check them all out!
#5 Mess With Someones Desk
A traditional April Fools’ workplace prank that just cannot go wrong. But what can I do you ask? Wellll you have options!
For the PhD colleague that is annoyingly productive, I recommend the disabled mouse joke.
Easily pulled off with a piece of tape or a post it on the bottom! How long do you think it will take them to figure out what is wrong?
And for the collegue that just loves a good post it we can decorate their space so nicely!
Just add some post its with random tasks to their collection or go all out and decorate the space with them! A harmless prank to pull on your labmates
Now if you are brave enough to pull a joke on your PI/Supervisor I suggest going all out with a role of aluminium foil! Now maybe not as crazy as in this example, but we can all aspire to greatness! And I am sure your PI will appreciate you weekend work!
Now dont forget to take a picture and tag us on social media to take part in the April Fools’ Lab Pranks challenge! We would love to see all your amazing jokes and you can win your own Science Avatar!
#4 Airhorn On A Chair
Now, this next one can be done on both office chairs as on most lab chairs! And who would not appreciate a nice wake-up moment on Monday morning?
Just be careful no dangerous chemicals are used in its vicinity! Although that is a warning that comes with most April Fools’ Lab Pranks
#3 Decorate a Door!
Now we are getting to some of my favorites! While researching I was SO inspired by some doors Science teachers made. And I realized our office door needs a makeover desperately. Just look at all these cool doors and tell me you are not inspired! There are even some options for really cool lab doors.
My personal favorite is the Mad Scientists in training door. I am planning to create my own version for the PhD student office! It really fits the people in the office ;).
#2 Head In A Jar
While this is traditionally a Halloween joke, we believe every lab’s sample fridge can REALLY use a fake head in a big measuring cup! Just imagine the faces when your colleagues find this.
All you need is a printout head (see the examples below) some liquid of choice, preferably with a bit of color, and a lab measuring cup or bottle. Now, this is also very possible with your own picture if you use the panorama function of your phone to take a picture of all sides of your head!
#1 Googly Eyes
Now we are going to close of this April Fools’ Lab Pranks Blog with our absolute favorite. Both for how easy it is to do. And the amount of impact it had on everyone in the lab!
Labs can be kind of boring and we have long thought some of the machines and equipment could use some extra personality! All you need is a pack of googly eyes and a free Saturday afternoon and your lab will be forever grateful!
All of a sudden it is not that weird to talk to the PCR machine anymore. Not that it ever was of course.
Googly eyes are really quite affordable, even on a PhD budget, And you can even get them in bulk! And honestly, this photo from courtneymarie123 on Reddit really says it all!
This just had to be a clear winner.
April Fools' Challenge!
If you loved these jokes and feel inspired, or if you know an even better one! You can participate in the April Fools’ Lab Edition Challenge.
All you need to do to participate is take a picture of a prank you are pulling on your labmates/colleagues, post this on social media, and tag us in the post!
Posts will be accepted for a full week and at the end of the week we will select a winner that receives the very awesome price of their own Scientist Avatar! Drawn by our very own designer Suzanne!
Example Science Avatar
Please leave a comment below if you know of even better Lab Pranks!
