There is something strangely humbling about exchanging a professional routine, a steady income and the independence that comes with working life for a student ID, lectures and deadlines. After building a career in law, returning to study a postgraduate degree at university was not a decision I took lightly. It meant stepping away from a version of my life that was comfortable and familiar and choosing uncertainty in pursuit of something I believed could take me further.
For anyone considering the same leap, here is what returning to postgraduate study has taught me.

1. What made me return to study?

My decision came from recognising that I did not simply want to continue practising law. I wanted to specialise in an area that genuinely excited me and aligned with where I saw my future.
My legal background had given me a strong foundation, but I wanted to explore the intersection between law, creativity, technology and the entertainment industry. That realisation led me to pursue an LLM Entertainment Law at the University of Westminster in London.
The moment I decided to return to study was therefore less about feeling that something was missing from my career and more about recognising that I had outgrown the direction I was previously taking. Sometimes growth requires you to pause, go back and learn again before you can move forward.

2. Why leave a comfortable career to study a master’s?

The obvious benefit was specialisation. In an increasingly competitive professional environment, having experience is valuable, but combining it with specialised knowledge can create an entirely different professional profile.
For me, the master’s is also about positioning myself within the global entertainment industry, particularly around intellectual property, copyright and the protection of creative talent. Studying internationally has given me exposure to perspectives and conversations that extend beyond my previous professional environment.
But leaving a comfortable life also comes with sacrifice. There is a strange vulnerability in becoming financially dependent again or having to rebuild your network in a new country. Moving from Kenya to the UK as an international student meant leaving behind familiarity and learning how to navigate a new academic, professional and social environment.

3. How do you know whether a master’s is worthwhile?

I would encourage anyone considering postgraduate study to ask: What will this degree give me that I cannot realistically obtain through work experience alone?
Do you need the qualification for your desired career? Will it help you specialise? Will it give you access to a network, jurisdiction or industry that you could not otherwise reach? Most importantly, does it move you closer to the person you want to become professionally?
A master’s should be an investment in your direction, not simply another qualification to add to your CV.

4. How do you adjust from full-time work to full-time study?

This was one of my biggest adjustments. Working teaches you to be practical, responsive and deadline-driven. Postgraduate study requires you to sit with an idea, question it, research it and sometimes completely rethink your position.
My biggest advice is to treat studying like a job. Create working hours, plan your week and avoid allowing academic work to consume every waking hour. At the same time, use the resources your university provides. Academic support, libraries, lecturers and student networks can make the transition significantly easier.

5. Is a master’s too theoretical?

One of my priorities was ensuring that my degree remained connected to the real world. Fortunately, Entertainment Law naturally sits at the intersection of legal theory and rapidly changing industries.
Studying copyright, contracts, music, digital platforms and emerging technologies means constantly asking how the law responds to what is actually happening in the creative economy. Analysing real industry developments and legal problems has made the learning feel much more applicable than simply memorising legislation.
For me, the greatest value has been learning to think critically about problems that creatives and businesses are facing now—and considering what the law should look like in the future.

6. How do you protect your mental wellbeing?

Perhaps the most important lesson is that returning to university is not a test of how much pressure you can withstand.
There will be moments when you question whether leaving work was the right decision. There will be deadlines, uncertainty and days when your brain simply needs a break. That does not mean you have made the wrong choice.
Build boundaries around your studies. Rest without guilt. Find your community. Ask for support when you need it. And remember that your worth is not measured by a grade.

7. The risk was worth taking

Returning to study a postgraduate degree after working has taught me that growth does not always look like moving forward in a straight line. Sometimes it looks like stepping away from what is familiar so that you can become more intentional about where you are going.
I did not return to student life because I had failed to build a career. I returned because I wanted to build the next version of it.
And perhaps that is the question anyone considering a master’s should ask themselves: Am I going back to study because I am afraid to move forward or because I am brave enough to redefine where forward is?

I wish you the best of luck with your next step.

Olivia

For more insights from international students studying at the University of Westminster and living in the heart of London, please visit our International Student Blog