Smoke alarms went off in Arts West on Monday afternoon as fiery banter poured out of a Week 1 Media and Society tutorial.

Eyewitnesses report that the intense camaraderie of the class, who just an hour prior had never met each other, was the result of a “master stroke” by their tutor, Dr Jeannie Yass.

“I was sensing there were a couple of nerves around, so I had to improvise,” Dr Yass recalled, “I told everyone to – get this – go around the room and say their name and their major.” As she revealed this, gasps and scattered applause could be heard in the crowd around our reporters.

“I was bit shy before class, but the icebreaker really brought me out of my shell,” recounted Billy Waters, 19, holding back tears. “Hearing everyone mumble a bit about themselves truly gave me the confidence to speak up and debate the readings.”

The students were devastated when class finished, according to Dr Yass. “I practically had to push them out the door! We’re all going to the pub together now, so that we can keep discussing the assessments.”