Shirt signing day is coming up, and you’ve got that blank white shirt just waiting for your friends to scribble on it. But let’s be honest – how many “Have a great summer!” messages can one shirt hold? The last thing you want is a boring shirt filled with the same old sayings that everyone has.
Maybe you’re the one holding the marker, staring at your friend’s clean shirt, and your mind goes totally blank. The pressure! They’ll keep this shirt forever, and all you can think of is “you rock” or “stay cool”? Yikes. Lucky for you, I’ve got some ideas that will make you the MVP of shirt signing day.
Funny Things to Write on Shirt Signing Day
Get ready to be the funniest person at shirt signing day. These ideas will make your friends laugh now and years later when they find that shirt stuffed in the back of their closet.
1. “This spot reserved for future famous person’s signature”
This is perfect for that friend who’s always talking about becoming rich and famous someday. You’re basically calling dibs on prime signature real estate before they hit the big time.
For extra laughs, add a dotted line underneath with “sign here when you’re famous” to make it look like an official contract. This works best for that ambitious friend who’s already planning their Hollywood star or presidential campaign.
2. “I signed your shirt and all I got was this lousy handwriting cramp”
Turn the tables on those souvenir t-shirts we’ve all seen that say “I went to [place] and all I got was this lousy t-shirt.” It’s a funny way to complain while still giving them what they want.
Your friend will laugh every time they see your signature next to this little joke about the physical toll of friendship. Add a tiny drawing of a hand with ice on it for extra dramatic effect if you’re feeling artistic.
3. “Future antique – please don’t wash”
Make your friend think twice before tossing that signed shirt in the laundry basket. This funny note suggests their ratty old school shirt might be worth millions someday.
Looking for the sweet spot between funny and thoughtful? This one hits it perfectly. Your signature becomes an “investment” they need to protect. You can even date it like collectors do with valuable items to add to the joke.
4. “If you can read this, you’re standing too close to my armpit”
Place this strategic message under the arm area of the shirt for maximum impact. It’s unexpected and guarantees a laugh when someone leans in to read all the signatures.
This works especially well when written small so people really do have to get uncomfortably close to read it. The payoff is that awkward moment when they realize they’re practically sniffing an armpit to read your witty message.
5. “This message will self-destruct after graduation”
Channel your inner spy movie with this message that adds a ticking clock to your friendship. It’s silly but also a tiny bit sweet if you think about it.
Your joke suggests that this shirt is loaded with some kind of spy technology. For extra fun, add a little countdown timer drawing next to it. This works great for friends who love action movies or who are always acting like they’re on a secret mission.
6. “I’m just signing this so you’ll sign mine”
Honesty is always funny, especially when it points out the transaction nature of shirt signing day. Everyone knows the unspoken rule – I sign yours, you sign mine.
This works best when written in tiny letters like you’re trying to hide this confession. Your friend will laugh at your refreshing honesty about the social obligation aspect of the whole shirt-signing tradition.
7. “Warning: Signature may fade, but awkward school memories last forever”
Give your friend a good laugh while nodding to the truth about those cringy school moments we all pretend didn’t happen. It’s funny because it’s true.
This message works for anyone, but it’s especially good for friends who’ve shared some truly embarrassing moments with you. The contrast between the temporary signature and permanent emotional scars is comedy gold.
8. “I wrote something inspirational here, but then I got hungry and left”
Play with expectations by starting something profound and then abandoning it for something totally relatable – food. Everyone understands food emergencies.
This works best when your handwriting starts neat and then gets rushed toward the end, selling the idea that you really did bail mid-message. Your friend will laugh at the honest priorities – wisdom is nice, but lunch is nicer.
9. “Official shirt authenticator – this shirt definitely exists”
Pretend you’re some kind of t-shirt expert validating that their shirt is, in fact, a shirt. It’s absurd in the best possible way.
Add an official-looking signature or even draw a little “seal of approval” next to it to take the joke further. This works great for friends who appreciate random, silly humor that doesn’t need to make logical sense.
10. “Future yard work shirt – you’re welcome”
Predict the inevitable future of most signed school shirts – they become painting or gardening clothes. Your honesty about the shirt’s destiny is both funny and practical.
This joke lands best with friends who either have lots of chores or who are super protective of their clothes. Either way, you’re just telling the hard truth about where most keepsake shirts end up a few years later.
11. “Congrats on having a shirt! Not everyone does, you know.”
Congratulate your friend on their amazing accomplishment of shirt ownership. The bar for celebration has never been lower, which is what makes it funny.
This absurd praise works best when written in an overly formal or dramatic style. Your friend will appreciate the recognition of their tremendous achievement in the field of basic clothing acquisition.
12. “I’m signing in invisible ink – you just can’t see it”
Write this message and then leave a big blank space next to it, suggesting you’ve signed in some kind of magic invisible ink that only special people can see.
For extra laughs, act completely confused when your friend says they can’t see your amazing signature. This joke plays on those childhood invisible ink pens we all had, while giving you an excuse for minimal effort.
13. “This signature is tax-deductible in 37 states”
Make a completely false legal claim about your signature that sounds important but is total nonsense. The more official it sounds, the funnier it is.
Add an asterisk with fine print that says “results may vary” or “check local laws” to really sell the joke. This works great for rule-following friends or anyone who appreciates mock-legal humor.
14. “Breaking news: I signed a shirt today”
Treat your ordinary signature like it’s front-page news. The contrast between the mundane act and dramatic announcement is what makes people laugh.
Format it like a newspaper headline for extra effect. This joke works especially well if you’re known for being quiet or not doing anything particularly newsworthy – suddenly, your signature is the event of the century!
15. “I signed this shirt and all I have to show for it is everything I’ve learned about friendship”
Start with what sounds like a complaint and pivot to something surprisingly sweet. It’s funny because it subverts the expected grumpy message.
This joke lands best when your friend doesn’t see the sweet turn coming. The comedy comes from the fake disappointment that turns into an admission that friendship has actual value. Who knew?
16. “Future historians will study this signature for clues about 21st century teen culture”
Suggest your friend’s shirt will someday be in a museum, with scholars arguing about the meaning behind your profound message. It’s hilariously overblown.
This works especially well if you include a simple doodle next to it that future scholars would definitely misinterpret. Bonus points if you date it with “Year of our Lord” before the date to make it sound even more historically significant.
17. “This spot intentionally left blank (except for this explanation)”
Use the classic “intentionally left blank” text from test forms, but then immediately contradict yourself by filling the space with words explaining why it’s blank.
The joke is in the paradox – it can’t be blank if you’re writing that it’s blank. This works best for friends who enjoy logical absurdities or who have had to take lots of standardized tests with those annoying blank pages.
18. “Signing this shirt counts as my cardio for today”
Pretend that the simple act of writing your name has completely exhausted you physically. The dramatic exaggeration of effort is what makes it funny.
Add a little sweat droplet drawing next to your “exhausted” signature for extra effect. This joke lands best with friends who either love or completely avoid exercise – both will appreciate the ridiculous comparison.
19. “I wrote something really funny here, but you’ll have to imagine it because I ran out of ideas”
Be refreshingly honest about running out of clever things to write while simultaneously getting out of having to actually be clever. It’s meta-humor at its finest.
The beauty of this message is that it works whether you’re normally funny or not. If you’re known for humor, friends will laugh at the rare admission of creative drought. If you’re not, they’ll laugh at your self-awareness.
20. “This signature is gluten-free, organic, and free-range”
Attach a bunch of trendy food labels to your signature as if it’s some kind of artisanal product rather than just your name written in marker. The mismatch is the joke.
This works especially well in health-conscious communities or for friends who are always talking about their dietary preferences. You can even add a little “nutrition facts” panel listing the zero calories in your signature.
21. “I was going to write something amazing, but then I saw the cafeteria was serving pizza”
Start with big promises and then admit your priorities shifted when food entered the picture. It’s relatable and charmingly honest about what really matters.
The joke works because everyone understands food emergencies, especially involving school pizza. This message is perfect for that friend who knows your true priorities and wouldn’t be surprised at all by this pizza-based abandonment.
22. “By reading this signature, you agree to be my friend forever (see terms and conditions)”
Format your message like those user agreements nobody reads but everyone accepts. The joke is turning friendship into a legally binding contract.
Don’t actually include any terms and conditions, or just write “terms and conditions: be nice” in tiny letters. This works best for friends who appreciate mock-legalistic humor or who have accidentally agreed to suspicious online terms.
23. “Error 404: Clever message not found”
Use computer error language to admit you couldn’t think of anything witty to write. It’s a perfect blend of tech humor and honest confession.
This message works for anyone, but especially well for computer-savvy friends. The beauty is that by failing to write something clever, you’ve actually written something clever – paradox achieved!
24. “I predict this shirt will be worth $0.00 in 20 years”
Make an extremely accurate but useless prediction about the future value of the shirt. The brutal honesty is what makes people laugh.
Unlike other messages that pretend the shirt will be valuable someday, this one cuts through the nostalgia with cold, hard economics. It’s funny because it’s probably true, no matter how special the moment feels right now.
25. “I’m only signing this because there’s no ‘poke’ button in real life”
Reference social media interactions while pointing out the awkwardness of real-life connections. It’s funny because it highlights how weird modern friendship can be.
This message works best for friends who are always on social media. The joke bridges the gap between digital friendship habits and this very analog tradition of physically writing on clothing.
26. “This signature will make sense after our time machine is finished”
Write something mysterious that suggests you and your friend have a secret plan involving time travel. The inside joke that doesn’t actually exist is what makes it funny.
This works especially well if you add a cryptic date or location. Your friend will either be confused (funny) or play along like they know exactly what you’re talking about (also funny).
27. “Please don’t tell the other shirts I signed this one”
Personify other shirts as jealous rivals that might be upset about your signature appearing on this particular shirt. The absurdity makes it hilarious.
This message suggests a whole drama going on in the closet that your friend never knew about. For extra fun, add “This message will self-destruct if worn near other signed shirts” to really sell the secret affair vibe.
28. “Future fashion critics will call this my ‘early marker period'”
Pretend your signature is part of your development as a famous artist, with this shirt representing your primitive early work before you got famous.
Add a tiny artwork next to it – the simpler and worse, the better. This joke works especially well if you have absolutely no artistic talent, making the idea of a “period” in your artistic development even more ridiculous.
29. “Studies show people with my signature on their shirt are 74% more awesome”
Make up a completely false but flattering statistic about the effect of your signature. The made-up specific percentage is what sells the joke.
This works for any friend, but especially well for those who appreciate data or who are competitive. Add an asterisk with “Source: Trust me” in tiny print to really sell the fake research angle.
30. “I signed here to avoid doing actual schoolwork”
Close out with brutal honesty about why everyone really participates in shirt signing day – to avoid whatever they’re supposed to be doing instead.
This message works because everyone in school is looking for acceptable ways to procrastinate. Your friend will laugh at this admission while also silently thanking you for helping them avoid their chemistry homework for a few precious minutes.
Wrapping Up
So there you have it – 30 ways to avoid being boring on shirt signing day. Whether you go with clever, silly, or just plain weird, your signature will stand out among the sea of “HAGS” (Have A Great Summer) messages that fill most yearbook shirts.
Next time you’re holding that marker, feeling the pressure of permanent ink decisions, just pick one of these ideas and run with it. Your friends will thank you for the laugh now, and years later when they dig that wrinkled shirt out of storage, they’ll smile all over again.