Harmless practical jokes have always been a part of college living. They can be in good fun and bring friends closer together

From pouring cold water on someone in the shower freshman year to hiding in your neighbor's house and eating all their food while they are at class senior year, we have all experienced a joke or two.

Some, however, cross the line of innocence and end up evoking fear into the hearts of students. This type of joke is anything but funny.

You or perhaps someone you know have committed such pranks and the guilt that goes along with a bad prank is often punishment enough.

But, the line must be drawn at improvised explosive devices, like the ones found on the 300 block of Kiefaber on the evening of Feb. 3, 2006.

What should have been a normal Friday night in the Ghetto filled with parties and good times had by all, turned out to be a terrifying time for anyone in the general vicinity of Kiefaber.

In this case, however, the perpetrators guilt is not enough.

A car was damaged, but more importantly, students could have been seriously injured.

The four bottles contained what is believed to have been a liquid acid and aluminum, a common chemistry method for creating a small explosion.

This is a perfect example of how a little bit of knowledge can do a lot of harm.

Whoever decided that this would be funny or light-hearted was sorely mistaken. The Dayton Bomb Squad was dispatched and, in conjunction with UDPD, they worked to resolve the situation.

This time, things worked out just fine. No one was physically hurt and minimal property damage occurred. But next time, we might not be so lucky.

Practical jokes to a point are just fine, but when they are taken too far, it hurts everyone involved.