Although having a reputation around college as being a touch on the grumpy side (“like half a brick swung in a handbag”, as a close colleague once attested), there is nothing I like more than a good 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 want drama and scandal’

I’ve read articles about the dangers of such events for educators; about how you need to make sure you temper yourself in case of anything untoward happening that you might end up regretting during an excruciatingly uncomfortable departmental meeting on Monday. But y’know what? I don’t get out much. So when I do, I want to witness high drama, I want The Office levels of cringe, I want scandal and huge discomfort in that meeting on Monday. I want my karaoke rendition of Thunder Road to be spoken about in hushed tones of what I can only assume to be reverence by support staff (and then hear them laughing as I walk away at what I can only assume is such a wonderfully happy memory).

Now, this isn’t a call to go out and sabotage your career over a mid-priced curry and innumerate bring-your-own-bottles as you set out your line manager’s many, many failings over the past few years, or confess to the world what really happened to that missing set of BTEC folders all those moons ago. I’m not suggesting that at your next get together to celebrate Nev from sport’s retirement 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.)

Have fun once in a while

But it is a call to go out once in a while and have fun. We work so hard in FE. So hard. With little recognition or reward the least we can do is get a tad rowdy once in a blue moon. And then, perhaps, we can take a little of that rebellious spirit and apply it to the world of our work when we roll back in trying to avoid everyone’s gaze due to the awfulness that happened at Wetherspoon’s. 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