Pranks on You!

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Howdy y’all,

Harvey Mudd College is infamous for its pranking prowess on a grand scale. In 1986, a group of Harvey Mudd students pulled off the impossible, posing as a construction crew and stealing CalTech’s famous cannon, transporting it back to Harvey Mudd College. Since then, other pranks include rusting a supposedly “unrustable” sculpture, adding a taco-loving Tyrannosaurus Rex to a campus mural portraying rolling hills that strike some as taco-like, and moving an entire car into a first floor dorm room (whether or not it is was fully disassembled is still up for debate). Most recently, Harvey Mudd students hijacked a Victoria’s Secret online voting competition and made the first initial of each of the top schools spell out HMC Women In Technology.

One of the main reasons I decided to come to Harvey Mudd College is that despite the academic rigor required of students here, they never cease to have fun and remind each other not to take themselves too seriously. That was apparent from the time I stepped on campus, both for my tour in the summer before my senior year of high school and even more so during Admitted Students Program (which you should go to if you can)!

Although the pranks on an epic scale do occur, they are not common. However, what is more common are the day-to-day pranks that Mudders play on each other! Given that April Fool’s Day just passed, I want to digress to Travis from two years ago in stating what the day is like on Harvey Mudd’s campus…

This about sums it up.

This about sums it up.

In my position as one of two proctors of Atwood Dorm, this year more than ever I had a target on my back. I tread cautiously through the entire day, shockingly keeping my self-esteem intact until lunchtime, when one of my frosh asked me, “Travis, have you been back to your room yet today?”

That’s when it hit me. I had forgotten to lock my room. The fatal mistake had revealed itself, and I paid the price, which turned out to be multiple rolls of Scotch tape.

The note that awaited me on my door...

The note that awaited me on my door…

Great...

Great…

I had to go full-Tom Cruise, Mission Impossible style just to get to the other side of the room.

I had to go full-Tom Cruise, Mission Impossible style just to get to the other side of the room.

Despite this taking over an hour to clean up to a livable degree, I believe that it is better to prank and be pranked rather than not be pranked at all. We all have our ways of letting others know that we appreciate them, and it just so happens that Mudders prefer to do so via personalized pranks rather than, oh I don’t know, telling each other we appreciate them, because that’s too easy! (Note: we also do the latter in many other ways, check out this blog)

In honor of a prank well-deserved, I figured I would share other pranks I’ve been apart of, or witnessed, over the years below.

My junior year we turned our suitemates' double into a Super Smash Bros. showdown arena!

My junior year we turned our suitemates’ double into a Super Smash Bros. showdown arena!

Again, in my junior year, we turned our suitemates' triple into a beach!

Again, in my junior year, we turned our suitemates’ triple into a beach!

Earlier this year, we recreated the Burn Book scene from Mean Girls in the girls' triple!

Earlier this year, we recreated the Burn Book scene from Mean Girls in the girls’ triple!

On Valentine's Day, my suitemates told me I had a secret admirer. I was greeted by dead roses...

On Valentine’s Day, my suitemates told me I had a secret admirer. I was greeted by dead roses…

My suitemate Vanessa and her clinic teammate Najla playfully absconded with Prof. Ran's dog and we sent him this picture from our suite.

My suitemate Vanessa and her clinic teammate Najla playfully absconded with Prof. Ran’s dog Darwin during his office hours and we sent him this picture from our suite.

Last but not least, my sophomore year we moved Sam Woodman's room into the gym since he spends so much time there anyways.

Last but not least, my sophomore year we moved Sam Woodman’s room into the gym since he spends so much time there anyways. Sam in next year’s third floor Atwood proctor, so I’m sure this will not be the last prank he sees!

Enjoy, and until next time, try pranking someone you care about!

Travis