I will not forget April 1, 2010- my freshman year. The dining hall was completely revamped with tables on roofs and hay in place of chairs. As I attended each class, I had no idea what would be behind the door, but I was full of excitement, eager to know how each classroom had been altered.

Before I came to Thacher, I was indifferent to April Fools Day. Now, I look forward to it. At some schools, it means a few jokes at lunchtime or, at other schools, people take the opportunity to exact revenge. At Thacher, April Fools Day is compared to Christmas- a gift from the seniors to everyone else.

Out of all the traditions at Thacher, I was especially looking forward to this day. As a class, the seniors meet to plan what pranks to pull—meaning how we’ll decorate every classroom, the barns, the Commons, and any other bare space in between. The faculty have a generous sense of humor and immense trust, as they leave their classrooms unlocked for the night. On March 31, we work for hours at night to transform the campus with inside jokes and various oddities. Then, we have the special privilege of celebrating and sleeping over in the library.

The next day, the other seniors and I saw the underclassmen react as we had in past years- laughing, picking a favorite room, and brainstorming ideas for their senior year. The Day itself is a break from the routine and expression of creativity. The night before April Fools Day is an amazing bonding experience for the senior class. As we undid all of our work the night of April 1, we could all sense and enjoy the loyalty that held us together.