Julia Loboda is a full-time LLB (Hons) Law student. Here, she explains how studying online gives her the flexibility to balance her education and personal responsibilities.
Written by April Baniqued. Published 26 May 2026.
Can you run us through an average day in your life?
An average day for me usually starts quite early. I wake up at around 7:30 AM to post content for one of my social media clients. I then go through my morning routine: I shower, do my skincare, get ready for the day and make breakfast.
Next, I start doing my university work. I keep a spreadsheet of the tasks that need to be completed so I can stay organised and productive. I also track how long each assignment takes, which is good preparation for recording billable hours in Big Law.
Around midday, I make lunch and take a break to talk to friends and catch up on messages. My afternoons vary a lot depending on the day. I could be creating content, meeting clients, attending law firm talks or study skills sessions run by the library. If I don't have anything scheduled, I'll usually be spending time prospecting or participating in extracurricular activities.
Later in the afternoon, I work out in my home gym for an hour. I find it helpful to put the news on in the background. It’s a great way to keep up with current events and build commercial awareness.
After my workout, I continue my university work. I try to get as much as I can done before dinner. In the evening, I like to spend a few hours reading around topics that interest me personally. I then finish the day with my nighttime routine and head to bed.
Why is flexibility important?
Flexibility is important in education because people often have obligations outside of their studies. Not everyone can follow a rigid schedule. Commitments can include working, running a business or other personal priorities.
Why did you choose to study your course?
I chose to study law after working for a few years in business. My responsibilities included managing finances and operations, as well as a large volume of compliance and contract work for eight restaurants. During that time, we acquired a restaurant and I was responsible for starting three new locations from scratch. I learned a lot about asset-backed finance, commercial law, land law and contracts. I realised I enjoyed the legal and financial side of operations.
One situation especially sparked my interest in law. A company failed to honour its contracted obligations and attempted to charge us an early release fee. I disagreed and argued that the terms were unfair under statute. They backed down and dropped the four-figure fee. That experience was the moment it really clicked for me. I realised that I didn't want to spend my life implementing advice from solicitors and advisors. I wanted to be the person giving that advice. Now I am working towards a career in commercial law at a large law firm, ideally focusing on acquisitions and large contracts.
Why did you choose to study at 中国P站?
I chose to study at the University because of the flexibility of the online programme. Studying online gives me more freedom compared with studying on campus. I can't always attend live lectures because I travel a lot for work. I really appreciate the ability to watch recordings at a more convenient time.
The employability focus is also important to me. Knowing how competitive the legal profession is, I wanted to make sure I wasn't just learning theory. When I attended a virtual event a year ago, I learned that the lecturers are legal professionals themselves. The lecturers and pro bono opportunities offer great insight into the practical aspects of law. Since starting my course, I have taken part in the pro bono small business advice line. This involves listening to a solicitor give legal advice to real clients. This has been incredibly valuable as I learned more about the soft skills required to be a solicitor.
What are the challenges of studying?
The main challenge for me is how much time reading can take. Law involves a lot of detailed material, whether that's cases, legislation or academic commentary. Reading and digesting it requires a significant amount of time. Balancing that with other commitments means I must be very disciplined with my schedule.
I have found that breaking my day up and being organised makes a big difference. I keep a spreadsheet of tasks and work through them. It helps me stay on top of the workload and gives me a sense of achievement when I tick things off.
What’s your top tip for flexible learning?
My top tip would be to simply go for it. Flexible study opens opportunities that might otherwise feel out of reach. Take advantage of all the resources available to you. You can get involved in a lot of pro bono work, employability events, networking sessions and other workshops.
Learn more about our flexible online study options or create your own weekly schedule with our free printable calendar.
