One of the conclusions I’ve drawn from my first year is that life at Cambridge is very much a circus. It’s quite fitting, then, that my first May Ball here is A Night at the Circus, and what a night it shaped up to be. Friendly helpers offered us each an umbrella as we filed past, a rakishly inappropriate magician entertained us, and cupcakes were handed lovingly from the arms of their carriers. As we threw back the sambuca shots, we watched the world-famous Sharpe Brothers (who were almost as tasty as the sweets) perform diabolo and dodge the unicyclists moving past them. And that, ladies and gentlemen, was just the queue.

The smell of sirloin steak, hot dogs, falafel, fajitas, Eton mess, sushi, candy floss, popcorn and crêpes filled the air. In Cloister Court there were smoothies and strawberries, pasta and cheeses. In the orchard, a glistening elephant vodka luge lurked amongst the giant lollipops. In the midst of the trees, someone placed a carpet with sofas (and a less helpful piano) down for when people started to "pass out," a fellow fresher knowingly told me.

And lo the alcohol! Starting with the obligatory champagne, you could easily drink yourself through the night without touching the same drink twice. The circular bar in Second Court served circus-themed cocktails and there were whiskey tasting sessions throughout the evening, as well as Pimm’s, G&Ts and the other usual suspects. According to my friends, I must also single out the bountiful supply of ale for a special mention.

Obviously there was a bouncy castle and the other usual fairground attractions, but the best entertainment in Jesus wandered around. Men on stilts tottered around with a motley crew of clowns, a caricaturist sketched dubious portraits of people, and though I didn’t locate the brilliant balloon twister, I saw wonderful balloon shapes floating around all night. The fire troupe, who took to the stage later, was outstanding.

Jesus will always be a brilliant college to throw a May Ball in because of its naturally stunning grounds. Appropriately then, the decorations had a rather understated ambiance. A fourth year student commented to me that there was not as much variation in the décor as was usual, but overall the ball had an ambiance that hearkened back to bygone days. The lawns had been carpeted in bold colours and the trees bedecked with glittering lights. The famous Jesus horse, too, had been tarted up for the night, with a headdress and a kinky little purple saddle – I just wish they’d done the same for the dinosaurs.

Unfortunately, even approaching half eleven, the ents hadn’t kicked off. Minnaars sounded good, but Mr Hudson was an impressive headliner to have in the bag, backed up by Clean Bandit and Two Door Cinema Club. One of the few complaints was that the music, particularly in the DJ tent, was too quiet, although this didn’t hamper anyone’s enjoyment of the festivities.

Although I’m easily impressed, the Ball was looking like a great one. It may not be the greatest show on Earth, but it’s certainly the greatest show in Cambridge I’ve been to so far.