Ah, my favourite day...

(Apologies in advance to Norfolk Blogger, the strong words in here are in some part directed at you, but the worst of them are directed at society's attitude in general, and the Tories' ideas... not you!)

Firstly, congratulations to my sister who got two As and a B! Unlike me, she did hard subjects (Maths, English and Music). Unfortunately, I went for those damned "soft" A levels. You know, Religious Studies, Theatre Studies and English. Curses to my unemployable soul.

But wait a minute, let's look at some of this intellectual snobbery for a moment. Okay. Particularly around Media (yeah, go on people, make some real intelligent joke about calling it "meeja" studies in an elitist way designed to demean those who study it. Try it! Its SO funny and SO original) Studies. Y'know, maybe it isn't as academically hard as Maths A level. But every single A level is hard in a very different way.

I'm gonna be honest (and, you might say, a wee bit arrogant, so apologies in advance). I've always considered myself to be clever. Oh, there's a lot of people a lot more clever than I am. But when I put my mind to it, I understand things quite easily, can follow logic and all that oh-so noble stuff.

You know what? Theatre Studies was the hardest A Level I did. Because not only did we have to analyse some complex theories about theatre (discuss the benefits of Stanislavski's method acting; how would Brecht use the breaking of the fourth wall to its best effect?), but we also had to act. Yeah. Go figure, you say. But in order to get my grade A at Theatre Studies, I spent every single lunchtime for pretty much a month, rehearsing. My group stayed behind after school most nights. In fact, you might go so far as to say that by working so much on my Theatre Studies work (which ate time like you would not imagine), I failed to work so hard on my more "noble", and "academic" subjects. It doesn't matter, I pulled it together at the end of Year 13 and successfully obtained the three A grades I wanted.

What point am I trying to make? Its quite simple really, guys'n'gals (or, since I've been chatting about Theatre Studies, maybe it should be guys'n'dolls?). How do we measure what is hard? How do we measure the difficulty of a subject? Do not get me wrong. I cannot do the more complex mathematical equations. I am singularly basic at my scientific awareness. Owing to the abysmal quality of "single science" teaching (a subject that may be discussed in time), I famously wrote that the Red Shift is actually when interstellar winds blow the sands of Mars across the planet. Yes, I was creative and imaginative, and to be honest wanted to tell me GCSE Physics examiner to "F*** off". But all this awful, dismissive, intellectual snobbery about media studies? Its got to stop!

Oh. What brought this rather silly, rambling, disjointed post (a post, incidentally, which my English A level teacher would shudder to gaze upon, for its American colloquialisms and informal tone)? It was Norfolk Blogger, someone I normally enjoy reading. But they managed to produce a post of such stunning elitism and smugness I almost gaped.

What is this evidence for media studies being a worthless degree? Yes, that's right. The tale of someone who went to university and drank a lot. I mean, has nobody in this debate pondered that it is what the individual makes of an A level and a degree that matters?

If I'd wanted an easy ride for my Theatre Studies A level, I would have coasted and settled for the B I got in Year 12. Instead, I did two resits to bump my theory to an A, and then slogged and slogged and slogged for a year to ensure that my practical (the hardest test I have ever, ever, ever sat - largely because it hinges upon not only a vague acting ability, but upon teamwork, upon confidence, and upon not only acting well, but acting within the chosen style) was successful.

The amount I read around the subject, to give me the depth required for my role. The amount of time I spent secretly in front of the bathroom mirror practicing the helpless pleading of a desperate Joseph K (yes, we did Berkoff, it was fun). The amount of sheer hard work and sweat, was something I haven't experienced since, outside of a Liberal Democrat campaign. And you know what? It has given me skills that have stood me in good stead and will continue to do so, for years.

Confidence - I lack it in normal situations around strangers, but put me on a stage with preparation and I can deliver something of some standard, at least. Teamwork - the most important skill learned, I feel. You cannot get a decent grade at Theatre Studies if you cannot work as a team. Versatility. Improvisation. Imagination. These are all skills which, cynically, a politician needs (you know, those sorts of politicians who lie about top-up fees and pretend to congratulate students for their A level results, yeah, them ones).

These are the vital things people overlook. Theatre Studies, Media Studies, even Sports Studies... they hinge upon significant and challenging skills. To have someone like Norfolk Blogger dismiss Media Studies completely is appalling.

Look. I know a friend who is studying for a degree in Film Studies. He works hard, hopes to direct and is constantly looking for new inspiration. He reads plays, poetry and novels. He studies light and its affects on shots. He spends incredible time, beyond anything I could devote to anything save Lib Dem activism, to subtleties in filming I didn't even know existed! He'll get a very good degree. And he will go far.

Contrast that to another person doing a similar degree, who waltzes up and doesn't have a clue. He's not going to get a decent degree. He may well go far, because he has talent, but he doesn't work. So for him, that degree is a walk in the park (and, yes, not academically challenging).

Another friend did Physics and dropped out because they were too busy drinking to care about their degree. Academically challenging degree? Not for them!

Of course compare that to another friend who started with Physics, worked incredibly hard and is now studying Astrophysics... and yes, we have a challenging degree. But forgive me for belabouring a point. Could he point a camera? Yeah, sure. Could he point a camera with the depth of understanding that my talented friend could? Hell no! Any more than my talented friend could predict rocket trajectory, or whatever it is those crazy Astrophysics lab kids do when they've got their goggles on.

So come on, guys'dolls! Its time to grow up! Its time to realise its not the subjects that are at fault, it is what the individuals do with those subjects. So if everyone does Media Studies, yeah, sure, you'll get a lot of people doing sweet F A. But you'll get those gems that work hard and are talented. And for them, that degree or A level will be the most rewarding and challenging task they have experienced their entire life.

Let's try and stop them bastard Tories demeaning their choices. Let's try and congratulate students on this day. Is it any wonder we as young people grow angrier and angrier every day? We are ignored, ridiculed, criticised. And then on this one day when we prove we can work hard and do well...

...we get people, even Lib Dems, mocking the very subjects they chose.

Shame on us all.

Yes, this post is written by me, Ol. I'm of those wasters who studied that "non-academic" subject Theatre Studies, who went on to do that dosser subject "Politics", studied by the bastards who pretend to be able to run our country. Funny that studying "Politics", a supposedly academic degree, has largely kept this country stagnated for so long... maybe we could spice things up and have some Media Studies students to govern the country? They couldn't do any worse than the current lot of Oxford-educated, totally academic, wonderfully lovely people we have now. Yes. I am being sarcastic. Yes. Absolutely.

Shove that up the Tories and smoke it.