Although having a reputation around college as being a touch on the grumpy side, there is nothing I like more than a work shindig.

I know that, for many, these kind of soirees can be akin to a special kind of torture, representing, as they so often do, a minefield of potential embarrassment, bad decisions, and even worse karaoke. But that’s what I love about them.

I don’t get out much. So when I do, I want to witness high drama, I want scandal. I want my karaoke rendition of Thunder Road to be spoken about in hushed, I assume reverent, tones by support staff.

Now, this isn’t a call to go out and sabotage your career. I’m not suggesting that at your next get together, you steal that damn pyramid of learning they’ve got mounted in the college lobby and replace it with a 6 by 3-foot poster of Drake. (No…actually…wait…if you get the chance, you should TOTALLY do that. That would be awesome.)

But it is a call to go out once in a while and have fun. We work so hard in FE. So hard. The least we can do is get a tad rowdy once in a blue moon. Because at this point in time, I think the last thing our sector needs is more propriety. I think we could all do with getting a bit rowdy.

So I’ll see you after work. Buy me a drink and maybe you can help me hang that Drake poster, or join me in a rousing rendition of one of Springsteen’s finest. Work hard. Play hard. Just do me a favour, and stop me if you see me gearing up to talk to my line manager. It never ends well.

Tom Starkey teaches English at a college in the North of England