Valete, graduands

That's one graduation ceremony down. It's always a mixture of sweat, pride, laughter and astonishment - it's hot, there's a real thrill in seeing some of the students getting through and/or doing well, there are always amusing interjections from the crowd, and there's always the chance to put a face to the names of students whose attendance was not always, shall we say, 100%. Meeting the parents is always fun too. Nobody's asked for a refund on their fees yet, though when I got my PhD, some of the media/cultural studies students asked if I had any qualification in their field at all. The answer, of course, is no. However, they passed, so can't complain! The speeches are always very dull, especially from those who use the same one year on year. Frank Skinner's getting an honorary PhD though!

Almost time for a pre-match drink before the second go.