Although yearbook quotes are not a tradition in the UK, we asked London-based comedy coach and director Chris Head to weigh in on how to craft a good quote for your yearbook. Chris mentors writers and stand-up comics on how to craft the best material, so he's more than qualified.

He has advice for school students who feel writer's block and are struggling to come up with something witty. "You could start by looking up serious yearbook quotes, then ask yourself what would be a playful way to parody this serious quote," the comedy coach suggests.

If you're writing a joke for your yearbook and are starting from scratch, Chris has three points you can start with. First, try sharing something personal about yourself. An existing example of such a quote can be "If you like water then you already like 72% of me."

Another approach you can take is to convey the gratitude you received. The girl who chose the quote "I want to thank Google and Wikipedia and whoever invented copy and paste" can be a good example.

If the two don't work, try giving some advice in your yearbook quote. It's true if you're a high school senior, there's not that much wisdom you can bestow on others. But it doesn't have to be serious. The quote "Remember, the more you weigh the harder you are to kidnap. Eat cake. Stay safe" gives very practical but funny advice.

Once you've studied the examples, it's time to start writing. How do you create a funny and memorable quote that stands out? Chris asks us to consider this: "Try picking one of these approaches and then ask yourself: given this starting point, what would be a playful and surprising thing to say?" 

Chris recommends considering three questions:

1. "What would be a surprising thing to say about yourself?

2. Who or what would it be surprising to thank?

3. What would be surprising advice to give in this context?"

Then we come to the key element of a yearbook quote that truly stands out. What is the secret ingredient? Self-awareness. "Self-awareness is absolutely key with a funny quote," Chris reiterates. "They work best if you are aware of how you come across to others and tap into that in your quote."

It's important to consider who your audience will be. In this case, it might be your classmates who know you. “Remember the ‘If you like water then you already like 72% of me’ guy? The people who know him who read the quote will find it even funnier as it’s so him," Chris tells us.