URBANA — Last year for their senior prank, members of the Class of 2008 stacked plastic cups into towers and weaved strings through the entire first-floor hallway, forming an intricate web for students to maneuver through.

Unfortunately, most of the setup was taken down before the first bell even rang because it was impossible to move anywhere.

Wanting to leave something more long-lasting behind, the Class of '09 combined a bunch of ideas into one big chaos.

Armed with beach balls, ribbons, silly string, lettuce, bed sheets, creativity, and plenty of chalk, members of the Class of ’09 congregated outside Uni’s main entrance Wednesday night at 9.

We weren't exactly sure what we were doing … just that it involved making the school into Assistant Director Sue Kovacs' nightmare. Fortunately, thanks to the organization and leadership of our classmate Karolina Kalbarczyk, everything came together.

After flooding the outside of the three entrances with chalk drawings and writings, we were finally allowed to go inside the school at 10 p.m.

We immediately divided into teams: The strong boys were to move all the couches and benches by the doors, some of us were in charge of "decorating" the elevator (with lettuce among other things, an inside joke that Uni students would easily understand), and others worked on spray-painting a huge sign addressed to Kovacs.

The sign was in imitation of the message on bed sheets that junior Nathan Smith draped over the west entrance of Uni last month for classmate Tuli Bera: "Tuli, will you go to prom with me?" Our message said: "Kovacs, will you go to college with us?"

By 11 p.m, Uni was transformed into a place of chaos — right according to plan. Couches were strewn around the first floor, door handles greased, the lounge redesigned, kitchen tables flipped over, bed sheets put up, and musical cards placed in between doors. Everything was perfectly set up, and our next step was to build a barricade the following morning.

On Thursday, some of the seniors arrived at 7 a.m. to blockade all three Uni entrances by setting up the couches and chairs as obstacles. Once accomplished, the Class of '09 stood waiting at the main entrance, armed with silly string. We had achieved our goal, and now it was time for the rest of the school to behold our handiwork.

SENIOR PRANK '09 in Photos

Caltech-bound Karolina Kalbarczyk was one of the key planners behind this year's senior prank. Gargoyle photos by Lauren Piester (click any photo to enlarge and to create your own slideshow)

Seniors ask a big question of Assistant Director Sue Kovacs, a la Nathan
Smith's prom question for Tuli Bera last month.

A chair duct-taped to the first floor girls bathroom — typical of the
mayhem wrought by the senior class.

The senior lounge redesigned.

Lettuce taped to the elevator brings back memories.

Chairs and tables flipped upside down in the kitchen.

Seniors leave a message on the trophy cases.

Senior Ben Daniels pokes fun at the subbies with his rolling suitcase

Senior Teddy Zamora-Mills comes to school with a hiking bag and suitcase.

Seniors mischievously decorate the elevator Wednesday night.

Seniors redesigning the lounge.