How to prank

We all love a good prank. Even getting pranked can be kind of fun sometimes, if only after the fact. But how do you know you’re about to really nail someone? How do you make sure your friends are talking about your prank years from now? Here’s a handy guide on how to build a truly classic prank.

•Know your target

It’s important to research your victim before you prank them. Knowing their fears and weaknesses can be invaluable in the conception and execution of a prank. When you play off of someone’s greatest fear and build your prank around it, you have a classic prank moment just begging to happen.

A good example of structuring a brilliant prank around someone’s greatest fear:

•Be patient

The successful hunter often passes hours before his prey gives him an opening. The successful prankster must practice similar patience. Provided you have a plan in place, your target is unaware, and your trap is ready to spring, all that is left is to wait.

Here is an example of patience paying off perfectly:

Granted, that prankster didn’t wait for an incredibly long time, but sitting in a closet and listening to your friend sing in the shower can be hard on anyone.

•Have the element of surprise

Sure, easy one. Everyone knows it’s not really a prank without the element of surprise. However, it’s more complicated than that. You have to time it right. Wait until your target is relaxed or vulnerable, where the surprise is most effective.

Unfortunately, not all surprises are harmless gags. Some of them go south pretty fast. Such as:

•RECORD IT!

With the power of YouTube, we can share our genius pranks with the world. So when you’re planning a prank, just grab a camera and keep it handy. In case the prank goes of without a hitch and turns out to be one of the funniest things you’ve ever seen, you’d regret it terribly if you didn’t capture the moment for posterity.

Get out there and pull off some pranks! Share your best prank stories with us in the comments below.