Quite animated as they left to collect college head (7)
I believe the answer is:
excited
'quite animated as they' is the definition.
The definition suggests an adverb but the answer is not.
'left to collect college head' is the wordplay.
'left' becomes 'exited' (to exit is to leave or depart).
'to collect' indicates putting letters inside (inserted letters are collected by others).
'college head' becomes 'c' (I've seen this in other clues).
'exited' going around 'c' is 'EXCITED'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for excited that I've seen before include "in agitated state" , "Worked up" , "moved by emotion" , "In a stir" , "Aroused, enthused" .)