After receiving my Global Talent Programme certificate.

They say Master’s students are usually more mature, more wise, more determined, more hardworking and better at multitasking. Is this true? Of course it is, however, it is assumed that postgraduate students never have time to do anything else but study. Now this is definitely not true. In fact, for Master’s students it’s just all about the balance. Being a postgraduate student is actually more fun than people think it is. This is something even I came to realise once I started my course. I actually love it. Here is why:

1. Just being a Master’s student

Studying at postgraduate level is no joke. The fact that not everyone decides to do a Master’s is already evidence in itself that it is simply not the easiest thing. For me being a postgraduate student is truly an accomplishment. It must be because a certain level of respect comes with doing the degree. It’s like people take you more seriously in a particular field or generally in life when they hear you are doing a Master’s. Its like “Wow, she’s serious with her education/studies”.

2. Ability To specialise

By studying a postgraduate degree, you have already mastered *pun intended* what you specifically want to do in life; unlike in undergraduate level, where at most times, people are testing the waters with their career choice. In fact, this was the case for me as when I graduated for my undergraduate I was only 20 years old so I wasn’t exactly sure of my career path. Thank goodness for postgraduate study as, after giving myself 3/4 years, I realized that events was my suitable career choice. Additionally, with my degree I have been able to learn specific important topics within just one year.

During our Caribbean inspired carnival event in London (that was counted as part of our event management grade)

3. Prepared for university life

The best thing about being a Master’s student for me was that I had just gone through university before, therefore coming back was definitely much easier. Having understood my study patterns, the university life and generally how I am as a student; it wasn’t hard adjusting into the system. It was definitely much easier for me to focus and get things done because I’m not necessarily as young as I used to be anymore and I’ve already had the “typical student life experience”.

4. Greater freedom and responsibility 

The assumption is that by the time you are doing a Master’s you are mature. This maturity thus translates to how you are treated by everyone. Tutors especially tend to give more freedom to postgraduate students and like I have seen, no one really follows you or pushes you. While this may be a bad thing for those who like to be pushed, I loved it. Postgraduate study really slaps maturity, self-discipline and time management on your face, which are aspects I didn’t really get to grasp in my undergraduate degree.

With fellow students, volunteering at the Arts by Sea Festival

5. Learning how to make the most of your time 

It’s only one year. One year to do all you can. One year to be all you can. You only realise time flies when that one year sprints past you. Being a Master’s student has taught me how to balance a lot of things at once. Especially for international students like me, you want to make the most of your opportunity to study abroad. When I was an undergraduate student, I was just a student who also happened to play sports. But as a postgrad student, there is a lot I am trying to do at once, from doing a sport to having a part-time job, to being a Student Ambassador and partaking in the Global Talent Programme to even running businesses all the way in Kenya. And I still feel like that isn’t enough. Lol.