It’s no secret that student life can get a bit crazy. Beneath the books and lectures lies a world of late nights, wild parties and working three jobs to make ends meet. It’s a bit of painful chaos mixed with a whole lot of fun.
But while some student experiences are par-for-the-course, there are others that sound a little made up. Think Mariah Carey randomly rocking up on the football field, a math teacher arrested for high-end art theft, or someone’s pants catching alight during class. These were just a few of the tales shared when someone asked, “What was an event that happened in your school that was so insane that most people wouldn’t believe unless they experienced it themselves?“
Bored Panda has put together a list of the best responses for you to scroll through while you’re supposed to be working on that very important assignment. Don’t forget to upvote your favorites, and feel free to share your own student life stories in the comments section below.
#1
We had a pretty good new math teacher show up in my small rural town. He was very supportive in trying to help the kids who needed more help, and was well liked. One day he wasn’t there, and we learned he had been teaching while waiting to go to trial where he was accused of high end art theft… he was eventually convicted.
Image source: snikle, Anna Tolipova
Student life is not always easy. You’re attending classes, completing assignments, studying for tests, socializing, and possibly also working part-time. You might have household chores, cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, and bills to pay. Finding the right balance between everything without losing your mind takes skill and practice.
Managing your time is key, say many experts. But what does that even mean? The Citizens Bank student portal has some valuable advice about it, including three different time management methods for you to try out. Keep scrolling to find out what they are…
#2
The AP chemistry teacher went on emergency bed rest during her pregnancy. No AP- certified substitute was available, so they had me teach the class I was in. They made our pregnant, bedridden teacher continue lesson planning. Every day, she’d email her lecture notes to me, a 16yo student in the class, and I would try to explain them to everyone else. Then we’d work through all the sample problems until we understood, email any outstanding questions to the teacher, and repeat the following day. I got a 5/5 on the AP exam; thanks, Socratic method!
Image source: thefuzzybunny1, syda_productions
#3
We were told to go to the football field and sit down in the bleachers for a special event. Two hours later (in the FL sunshine with zero entertainment) Mariah Carey drove out on the field in a limo to surprise a cafeteria worker and his family members (and I reckon us too) because said cafeteria worker was chosen for Extreme Makeover Home Edition.
Image source: RealLifeAquaman, Nan Palmero
The first is something known as the Pomodoro Method. It’s apparently one of the most popular time management practices used by students, and here’s how it works: Basically, instead of trying to study for hours on end and cram everything in, you break it up into smaller intervals.
“To try the Pomodoro study method, you’ll pick the task at hand you would like to work on and then set a timer for 25 minutes. Focus only on that task for the entire 25 minutes, and then when the timer goes off, take a break for 5 minutes,” explains the Citizens Bank site. “Repeat four times, and then take a longer break before starting from the beginning.
#4
Kid stole a chemical from the chemistry lab and put it in his jeans pocket. During the next period history class his body perspiration built up enough it caused his pants to ignite.
Image source: Van_Buren_Boy, Ivona Rož
#5
This was back in the early 90’s. A tornado hit our high school and tore the roof off of some of the classrooms. The school was closed for one day and then reopened before any major repairs were done. Sitting in English class with a clear view of the sky above was a unique experience.
Image source: contemporaryproperty, Greg Johnson
#6
A classmate of mine drank 0.2M potassium cyanide from the chem lab on purpose (survived). He vomited it out in the chem room, so the students were taken to ambulances for decontamination. Meanwhile, a student’s backpack caught on a fire alarm minutes later. The news helicopters started circling next period.
Image source: Illustrious_Hotel527, rawpixel
The second method is time-blocking. According to the bank, it can be a bit more tedious but many find it worth the effort. Time-blocking involves scheduling out and writing down everything you’re going to do for the entire day.
“For example,” explains the site, “if you wake up at 8 a.m., write down when you’ll wake up, have breakfast, and do your morning routine. Then, write down your next task and the exact time you want to work on it.”
Creating, and sticking to, a concrete schedule like this can help you focus on the task at hand, avoid procrastinating, and experience a sense of achievement as you cross things off your to-do list throughout the day.
#7
A chemical plant exploded on the other side of the city.
Bad enough it leveled a couple of blocks and blew every window within 3 km.
But that’s just the inciting incident.
I was in class.
The windows at the back blew.
no one sitting there so no one hurt.
The ceiling came down on the amphitheater across the hall.
Teacher blinked. Then continued his lecture.
Evacuation people shouting in the hall.
Teacher: Someone please close the doors.
10 minutes or so, janitor comes in:
“Guys, you need to evacuate.”
“Nope, thank you. Close the door behind you.”
5 minutes later:
Senior staff that i didn’t know the position of:
‘Dude, GTFO.”
“No!”
“Fine. If a single kid gets hurt that’s on you.”
“Everyone out!”
Not the US.
Image source: nicolasknight, Edu Raw
#8
This is a bit silly, but we had what we called “The Cheerios War” for a few days. No one knows exactly how it started, but I went to an all girls Catholic school and people were throwing Cheerios at each other, putting them in pencil cases or filling up desks. It was insane! Then it just randomly stoped but bringing cereal was banned from the school and we had a huge assembly about why throwing food is bad .
Image source: Adventurous_Tap_2371, pixel-shot
#9
Our senior prank involved releasing three chickens labeled 1, 2, and 4 into the main hallway between classes
took admin like two hours to catch them all and they spent the rest of the day frantically searching for chicken #3 which never existed.
Image source: puzzling_novella, Erwin Bosman
The third method recommended by the bank is the Eisenhower Matrix. This one might be for you if you feel fairly disciplined when it comes to time management. The Eisenhower Matrix involves prioritizing your most urgent and important tasks by dividing them into four boxes.
“You’ll have the tasks you complete first, the tasks you’ll do later, the tasks you’ll delegate, and the tasks you can eliminate,” explains the student portal. “For instance, instead of working on a paper that’s due in two weeks, you decide to prioritize the internship application that is due this upcoming Friday.”
#10
My classmate’s mum accidently drove their car into the home economics classroom. Nobody was hurt but it was the most bizarre thing. She was parked on the bottom of a roundabout that was 2 tiers and had parking. The story was that thought she was in reverse but wasn’t and gunned it over a curb and into the wall of the class. I went to a small high school so naturally the story spread like wildfire. My classmate was known as a klutz so it sort of made sense.
Image source: fernandocrustacean, Jan Baborák
#11
From age 8-16 the school that I attended would have “marks” every month. The entire school would troop into the gym and, class by class, every single person’s grade percentage would be read out to the entire school. Those who had low grades were forced to stand up in front of everyone, and the teachers would say awful things and use degrading personal insults.
Every. Single. Month.
Image source: LavenderSpaceRain, Bo Peng
#12
My 5th grade teacher was a retired veteran and very well-liked, but he could get stern fast. He once kicked the wooden desk top clean off a kid’s desk for talking after being told to be quiet. No one was hurt, the wooden top flew and landed several feet away at the back of the class. At the time it seemed totally justified, but looking back, I don’t think Mark deserved that.
Image source: scrapsoup, Getty Images
Time management plays a part in helping reduce stress, and that’s something many students need.
A study conducted by the American College Health Association found that 48% of college students reported moderate or severe psychological stress. 53% reported being lonely, and 26% had considered ending their life.
The Mental Health First Aid site notes that besides having good time management, practicing self-care can help when it comes to your mental health. Another thing the experts suggest is routine or structure.
#13
Girl got expelled for witchcraft. Public school in 2000.
Image source: lawpancake, cottonbro studio
#14
The principal told us theater students that buying new football helmets was more important than fixing an electrical fire hazard in the auditorium. We could literally demonstrate it, getting some wires to spark on demand. He shrugged.
Image source: HawaiianShirtsOR, Nem Malosi
#15
The Jonas brothers played at our high school in 2006 before they became famous. No one believed us and thought it was some grand inside joke.
Image source: Starbucks__Lovers, Paige Kaitlyn Concerts
Having a routine has been shown to lower people’s stress levels and help them feel more productive and focused,” explains the site. “Consider planning to wake up, eat, study and exercise around the same times every day. This will help give you a sense of control, lower your stress levels and even improves focus.”
#16
Emergency beaver lockdown. I went to high school in a town in Northern Canada. We got a notice that students had to stay in their classrooms. It seems a beaver had wandered away from a nearby pond and into the courtyard of the school to look for new foreign food. There were concerns that the beaver might bite a child, but mostly that young teenage boys would torment the poor thing. Luckily the janitor and the gym teacher managed to convince it to head back to the wild before there were any injuries.
Image source: humanityrus
#17
There’s a real mummy at my high school. Someone donated it.
Image source: stolen_honey
#18
My art teacher in small town Wisconsin did artwork for SpongeBob and was even in one of the episodes that had real people in it for a party!
Image source: SnooLemons178
Part of that structure includes getting enough sleep. According to Harvard College, more than half of college students don’t get the required seven hours of sleep per night.
“Sleep deprivation can lead to symptoms of depression, but college students who prioritize sleep are likely to see positive effects like improvements in academic performance, their ability to concentrate while studying and less daytime sleepiness,” notes the Mental Health First Aid site.
#19
Back in 1988 a small plane made an emergency landing on our football field.
Image source: Bladrak01
#20
I once had a teacher who was a hunter take her hunting rifle out and point it at me. I jumped in the air. She said it’s OK it’s not loaded. That was about 1986.
You wouldn’t get away with that these days!
Image source: karo_scene
#21
Decades of students able to leave the school at lunchtime to buy food at local businesses ended my senior year of high school when a middle school girl left her school to come see her freshman boyfriend and walked into the side of an 18 wheeler going full speed down the highway. Traumatic enough. But they ended off campus lunch the next day. Several restaurants went out of business within a year or so.
Image source: Shore_line43
#22
A girl went missing and it had been several days without any leads. A mom of one of her friends had a dream that she drove off a large hill outside of town that had some sharp corners in the woods. She went there when she woke up and found the girl still alive, trapped in her car.
Edit as this got bigger than I thought. I found a news article about it
Image source: Grewhit
#23
1. I watched my teacher break and punch another student. He was fired, obviously.
2. This one is funny. I had a college professor threaten to *press charges* for forgery because someone put up a fake class canceled sign for his class as an April Fool’s Day joke. He made it a point to tell us it would be a felony because of some nonsense that wasn’t even true.
Image source: NormalNobody
#24
My school was next to the breeding pens for a cattle farm.
If the teachers didn’t keep the blinds closed – the entire class would get distracted when bulls started mounting cows.
The teachers usually pulled the blinds down if there was mating going on that day, but one teacher forgot – in my psychology class. The teacher gave up trying to rein the class in once the bull mounted the female and a bunch of students were standing in the windows cheering the bull on as he went to town. He got a standing ovation, then the teacher, who had his head in his hands at his desk, told us all to sit the hell down.
Image source: Walmartian_Beta
#25
Not a single event but a weird thing nonetheless. My school had a whole underground network of tunnels dating back centuries. Apparently it served as a wine cellar at some point but they sealed all the entrances bc students in the 80s were holding ragers down there. Now it’s only accessible through a hole in a bathroom wall of the music building. Every once in a while some kid stumbles upon it by accident and finds themselves in a mysterious tunnel lol. Never been in there myself though bc I couldn’t handle the cobwebs.
Image source: marysuingfordamages
#26
I had a math teacher who would play Chris Angel or David Blane each day. I don’t mean in the background or at his desk. This was the projector going. We did next to zero work. Tests were open book, note, internet.
One day our principal wanted to audit the class and gave him a heads up. So he made us scripts and we pretended to be a real class. He had questions for us to ask. All of it. We did this for about 20min, then the principal said he saw enough and walked out. The teacher escorted him out and closed the door behind him, then turned on the magic shows.
Also, calculators were for games and he installed them for us.
Image source: s2k_guy
#27
My college with about 12k students had a meningitis scare. The national guard ran busses nonstop to campus and took us to the armory where they had several stations setup to immunize us. It was about 35 years ago so I can’t remember if it was pills or a shot. It was very efficient.
Image source: scuzzy987
#28
I don’t know if it’s *insane* like some other stories really, but at my private Christian HS the senior class would go on a week-long “camping” trip. We went to the woods near a summer camp, so we were relatively near buildings and stuff, but not within sight of them. We were given thick black plastic sheets, rope, and duct tape to build a shelter of some kind for groups of 4~7. Some of the teachers and some parents were there to chaperone and had regular tents. We had hiking and group activities, and we had to chop our own wood to build our own fires and stuff. Food was provided, and porta potties, but we didn’t have shower facilities – a few students “bathed” in the nearby stream. It was in October so it was cold (northern Idaho), and it snowed lightly while we were there.
It was pretty fun all things considered, but I enjoyed camping and outdoor stuff at the time anyway. It was kind of nice seeing another side of my classmates, without phones or anything to distract us (not that phones in 2004 were anything like they are now). Finding out new things about each other, like showing that the smallest girl was the best at chopping wood even down to kindling (yours truly), and the most popular kids were just as insecure as everyone else, was a good experience. And yeah, the “tents” we made were pretty good. They survived heavy rain and didn’t collapse or anything.
Image source: sachimi21
#29
We had a teacher & student get married pretty much immediately after graduation. In fairness, the teacher was 22 years old, and student was 18 years old. So the age difference wasn’t terrible, but it was still weird.
They were still together at our 10 year reunion.
Image source: YourLadyship
#30
My very first day of college (in the Midwest US). We had a normal math class. Check out the syllabus, whatever.
My second day, math teacher told us he wasn’t feeling well but still held class normally.
Third day, math teacher cancels class after 8 minutes. Reminds us all to do our homework, he or the aide will check it by Monday.
Monday comes and there’s a sub. Actually, for the next month and a half we have a rotation of substitute teachers, until one day, mid-lesson, a girl raises her hand and asks, “Hey, is our teacher ever coming back?”
The sub stops, turns around, and in his heavy Russian accent says “oh… he passed away.”
The lesson immediately came to a screeching halt as we collectively realized our teacher passed away and nobody told us.
Class dismissed.
Tl;dr: professor passed away, nobody told the class for a month and a half.
Image source: Fl0atsMuhG0ats
#31
Small potatoes here, but we had a chemistry teacher we called Sodium Joe. He mis-measured the amount of sodium needed for a water reaction and showered his class with glass. I don’t think anyone needed stitches, but a good portion of the class were injured by the glass.
I should also mention he made this same mistake twice about 6 years apart. After the second one the school banned that particular demonstration. Dude was legendary as a teacher btw.
Image source: Alfred_The_Sartan
#32
Not as intense as some of the others, but one of my middle school science teachers was a bit of a Doolittle and had dozens of animal cages in the room.
Like, the classroom had counters around 3 out of 4 walls and all of them were covered in cages little animals. It was cool at first, but you know, little stinky.
Anyway one day we came in and she starts shushing us, telling us to be quiet because some of the gerbils were giving birth in the back room. She didn’t want us to stress them out…and well, we found out why soon enough.
Halfway thru class the teacher runs into the backroom and when we call out asking what happened she makes the mistake of telling us NOT to come in. Of course that means everyone stampedes in just in time to witness the mother gerbil cannibalizing all the babies. I’ll never forget that bloodbath.
Image source: WhenWolf
#33
When I was in graduate school, for psychology of all things, another student had a mental health crisis and eventually was admitted to the hospital. The faculty held a student/faculty meeting to discuss this, so that *everyone* knew she was in the psych ward. I knew in advance and I fought against the meeting but didn’t get anywhere. 😡.
Image source: HighwaySetara
#34
In 1983, somebody from the senior class of my high school dropped tires down over the flagpole over a weekend. There was enough to go about halfway up. Nobody except the perpetrators know who did it, or how. They had to cut them off with a chainsaw.
Image source: JJohnston015
#35
In one of the fine arts departments at my university, a professor put a civil suit towards several students for implying in a department newsletter that he smelled, and they put soap on a rope on his office doorknob.
Dude absolutely did smell and rarely bathed. He was also a serious jerk and such a harsh marker that his assignment marking was always under departmental review (a.k.a. if you barely failed, you were given a 60 and slid through.)
Image source: RadioSupply
#36
My sophomore year the senior class did the annual senior ‘prank’ that went way too far. 2/3 of the senior class supposedly showed up then trashed and vandalized the entire school. It was unsafe for us to go to class when we got there the next day so we all stayed in the gym which had been locked closed the night before. At least 1 teacher was injured from the mess.
The principal and SRO got fired, the majority of the senior class was banned from graduation (identified through security cameras and Snapchat stories), and it made national and even international news. I’ve also seen the incident listed in compilation videos of “worst school pranks” type stuff.
Edit to add: the prank which was actually dozens of groups trying to do their own pranks because it wasn’t organized was:
hay, sticky notes, and trash everywhere, shaving cream in lockers, balloons and glitter throughout, oil in the vending machines dispenser, fish in the toilets, pebbles in the sinks, marbles (which got lost under all the hay), alarms in the ceiling, allegedly someone peed in the halls, someone released live crickets, also some kids broke into the locked classroom of a highly disliked teacher and vandalized his favorite posters.
There was probably more but that’s all I know of / saw.
Image source: Tawny812
#37
During the spring play, the main actor tripped over the curtain and pulled down the entire lighting rig. sparks flew everywhere. for a second, the stage was lit by emergency blue lights. everyone froze in shock. then someone started laughing hysterically at the absurdity of the situation.
Image source: dismalwater
#38
It was the 90’s… the school “class clown” was so popular and influential, he had about 1/4 the school following him just to laugh, have a good time, and enjoy life between and during classes…
One day, he and his girlfriend proposed a “national skirt day” for guys…
I joined the 100 or so fellow male students, borrowing my sister’s only skirt that fit me, wearing it to class. The jocks and “alpha” wannabe classmates all scowled in confusion, but the star quarterback was one of us. This giant moose of a man went full fledged EASTER DRESS in pale blue with turquoise flowers and a bonnet.
The teachers had him remove the bonnet during class, because no one could keep a straight face. He pranced around like a little girl, really getting into it. But it was less than a week later that he won the biggest game of the year nearly single-handedly.
It was a fun day, which I will never forget.
And… if you happen to be that specific “class clown” reading this and it sounds oddly familiar? If your initials are “A.C.” – then I was your classmate where the streaks run over swamp land…
Image source: Xo-Mo
#39
My second high school had 4 floors, and the staircases from the 4th floor to the 3rd floor had balconies over the stairs below to the 2nd floor.
Two girls got in a fight. The larger girl tossed the smaller girl over the balcony, she rolled down the stairs to the second floor, hit a locker bank, then GOT UP and continued the fight. I was on the 3rd floor and saw her go up, over, down, and meet the other girl on the stairs to finish it up. Admin broke it up, but I think the smaller girl had that DAWG in her after that.
Image source: gogogadgetdumbass
#40
It became so ubiquitous the faculty had to publically ask the students at an assembly to stop using the word “jew’d” to refer to getting ripped off.
Image source: Eat-Playdoh
#41
In the UK, British Railways used explosive devices. They were small flat pancakes, about 5 inches across and an inch thick, and painted bright orange. They were strapped to the rail line a mile or so up the line from crews working on the rails. The trains would roll over them, setting them off, with the bang as a warning. A guy at school, around the age of 14 or 15 ‘found’ one of these and decided to see what would happen if he used a hammer and nail on it. He put it in a vice and hit it. It exploded, unsurprisingly! Taking a couple of his fingers and sending shrapnel through his hand. He was absent from school for a while, but nobody knew why until he returned.
Image source: nglshmn
#42
My school had fight clubs.
People would just straight up clique up with other people, even go as far as to wear similar colors/patterns, and it was on sight for any other squad. Then when we went home we all partied together.
There were a few rules, at first. No face shots, no cheap shots. Pretty much body only. Trust me, getting punched in the gut by a varisty tackle HURTS, but its a lot better than a broken nose. It was actually wild. Pretty much every guy at the school was cliqued up with a group. You’d see a massive “fight” break out for like 2 mins, and even if the proctors knew what was going on, the group would disperse by the time they got there. It was rare that anybody got in trouble.
But, as the year went on, rivalries formed, and then people started ambushing each other, and every now and then, they would spiral out of control into a full on fightfight.
The next year, there were cameras pretty much everywhere. No more blind spots or hideaways.
Image source: BigMike_12345
#43
When I was a freshman (2006), either a person was pulling the fire alarm or the alarm was faulty. It happened 6 times in one day and each time, we had to get up, go down the traffic that were the staircases and outside.
Image source: nightrain13
#44
Senior week, the seniors were gathered blocking off the back parking lot for seniors and staff only. A junior got pissed and started edging toward the crowd. He jerked forward and knocked a couple students over.
The principal punched out his windshield in one blow. It was incredible.
Image source: Familiar-Dirt3244
#45
My high school, Saucon Valley, was one of those that approved a certain religious after school program but refused other religions programs. They had to be threatened by the ACLU and TST before they backed off of the illegal discrimination. They got to learn a big First Amendment lesson, the national media got to clown on them for a few weeks, and the rumors were flying that the local preferred religion community was furious. Iirc, taxpayer dollars were used to pay for the opposing sides attorney fees.
Image source: ljfrench
#46
We had a bunch of kids get mysteriously sick with vague symptoms so the school did a study and established the problem was due to a hole in the ozone layer directly above the school.
Image source: JBOTlx
#47
After school, some kids started swiping Cokes from a place down the street because someone told them they were free. When the staff asked for them back, most of them freaked out and smashed the bottles on the floor.
Image source: StillAbility2095
#48
Western rural PA – Cranberry Township – Haines Elementary School
It was sometime in the 80s and I was in third grade. Every year there would be a school field trip, maybe the zoo, maybe a museum. You’d go, learn things, and eat a brown bag lunch. . Something close-ish and educational and if you were lucky, your mom or dad gave you a dollar to buy something at the inevitable gift shop.
I have no idea what happened, but in the 3rd grade for our field trip we went to the dog track. We weren’t allowed in, so we sat on a grass hill overlooking the track watching the dogs race. They pulled little chariots behind them.
I have no idea why anyone ever thought the track would be educational or fun for 3rd graders.
Image source: Luckydays4ever
#49
My high school cheerleading team made it to one of the funniest episodes of MTV Made. They were the worst cheerleaders I’ve ever seen and in the episode they ask who the leader is and I swear they start going “this one is the leader of this, this one is the leader of that”. There was no leader they all wanted to be the most important in some way. They ended up competing in a real competition but I can’t remember much else. I wish the episode was easier to find. Also lost of the girls in the team were seniors when the episode was being filmed and graduating out of the school before the episode was fully finished.
Image source: MessiLeagueSoccer
#50
A girl had a baby in the toilet in the math hall bathroom. She left it there and it was later found.
Image source: Seabird_seabird
#51
My school bus was hit by another school bus and flipped 3 times into the ditch. A child flew out the emergency exit at the top of the bus. Nobody was seriously injured. It was my 16th birthday so I got a ride in to school and wasn’t on the bus that morning.
Image source: Mrswaples
#52
In high school, midterm exams kept getting delayed due to snowstorm and bad weather (New England in January). After being pushed back a couple of days 3 times in a row, the school admins just gave up an canceled them. This was at a private school, and the delay period lasted about 2.5 weeks.
Image source: Ok-Upstairs4321
#53
Some seniors cut down an oak tree that was about 3′ in diameter. It was easily 100 plus years old.
Not a prank in most people’s eyes.
Image source: desertboots
#54
Male soccer coach married to female basketball coach started affair with typing teacher during school hours while wife was pregnant. Near divorce until he finds he has terminal cancer, so wife stands beside him til he dies. The kid looks just like him….
Image source: thatlosergirl
#55
Had a fire drill that turned into a real fire, chaos ensued while everyone tried to grab their stuff.
Image source: junosoftie
#56
Over COVID, the principal got really into feeding the local squirrels out of boredom. They eventually got comfortable enough to take food right from his hand, and would come into his office to chill.
Anyway, one day one got out of his office and into the main office, and was discovered when one of the office staff felt something climbing up her leg.
The principal was not allowed to let the squirrels inside anymore after that incident.
Image source: EliMaxsaysSaveEarth
#57
Someone’s pet cheetah (non-faculty/student) was loose on school grounds and we weren’t allowed outside until it was caught.
Didn’t take long and I didn’t think much of it at the time, but thinking back the situation was quite wild.
Image source: mikayunomi
Follow Us
