PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY DAVID HARDEN/Arizona Daily Wildcat April Fools' Day often brings many pranks to unlucky recipients. A classic favorite is lighting a bag of feces on fire and placing it on a doorstep for the resident to enjoy.

Today people across the country will plot and scheme mischievous ways to test the endurance of their friends, family and loved ones.

Through the years, the style of April Fools' Day pranks have evolved. What used to be tacks on chairs and rubber bands around faucet heads is now Saran Wrap on toilet seats, grated coffee beans thrown at someone in the shower and bags of poop lit on fire in front of doors.

"Last year, me and a couple of my friends put Saran Wrap on our toilet seat. My friend who was having the joke played on (him) completely fell for it," said Peter Secan, a marketing sophomore.

Secan said he plans on thinking up another brilliant plan for this year.

Because some people think there are no rules during April Fools' Day, jokes are always being tested to new and extreme limits.

"We chopped up letters and arranged them on a piece of paper, so it looked like it was a stalker's doings. Then we kissed it, sprayed it with perfume and left it on our neighbor's door," said Pamela Childers, a journalism sophomore.

Last April Fool's, when I opened my door, there was a big bag of poo in front of my door, and it was on fire. - Sean Kia, theater freshman

Childers said the guys "freaked out" and looked at their peephole when answering the door because on the letter the girls had written, "I know what you did on September 21st at 10:00 p.m." One letter also listed all the girls the guys had slept with.

While Childers enjoyed the prank, for those on the receiving end, jokes are not always fun and games.

"One time, my brother rubbed Gold Bond all over my soccer shorts, so when I got to practice and put on my shorts, it was pretty chilly," said Greg Cella, a sophomore majoring in Italian.

Others have dealt with the more classic and traditional pranks.

"Last April Fools', when I opened my door, there was a big bag of poop in front of my door, and it was on fire. I just took a broom and brushed it away," said Sean Kia, a theater freshman.

April Fools' Day started when the Western world switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar.

In the Julian calendar, the New Year begins around the time of April 1, after a religious celebration.

But when the Gregorian calendar was accepted, New Year's Day was moved to January 1 - yet some still celebrated the event on April 1.

Those who were scammed into believing April 1 was the correct day to celebrate the new year received the title "April fools."

But that's not the only explanation; others have different opinions about the origins of April Fools'.

"I heard that April Fools' Day started somewhere in Greece. I think someone yelled the Parthenon was falling apart, and the city was evacuated," said Chelsie LaRochelle, an undeclared freshman.

There are myths that the pranking period ends at noon and any joke endeavored after that time will have back luck.

Another urban legend states that if a girl can fool a guy, they will marry in the future or have a very long friendship.