There is absolutely no harm in students jumping on a bus and going on tour around Malta. There is nothing wrong with having a few drinks, making merry and making a fair bit of noise either. After all, kids who graduate from University have a hell of shock coming to them once the world of work, taxes and responsibilities beckon.

Celebration is a wonderful thing, it is a tonic for the body and mind, especially after the stress of putting together a final thesis. But, there is a very fine line. Some people may argue that the incidents which took place at University last week have been a long time coming, in a sense of there having been a gradual build-up, over the years, of behaviour which is not befitting of a university graduate. We tend to agree.

Students have been steadily upping the ante over the years and unfortunately, it culminated in this, an act of violence on campus. We will not get into the merits of who did what and how it all happened, but it is, inexcusable. One cannot have a situation whereby a lecturer is bundled to the ground and injured by rowdy students, it just simply should not happen, drink or no drink.

While some students may feel empowered by the fact that they have graduated and, perhaps, defied the expectations of their lecturers, one cannot allow such issues to spill over into a physical confrontation.

Another issue at stake here are the very noisy bus parties that are driven around Malta. Again, there is nothing wrong with a bit of merriment, but swearing and ridiculously loud music and repeat taunting is also out of order.

The situation which broke out on campus last week even saw the student body complain and demand that action is taken to secure the safety of other students, so it was not just a small incident. Having fun and having one final swansong is part of graduating. Violent behaviour and a subsequent court appearance is exactly the sort of thing which can tarnish such memories. In fact, the deans of the faculties have since met the rector of the university in a bid to avoid a repeat of such incidents. We hope the rector heeds this piece. We know what his mentality can be like, in terms of the Realtà saga. We reiterate that there is nothing wrong with a bit of a dance and sing, but a balance must be found. Such incidents should not be repeated.