"There were a lot of study choices and wishes, so the considerations were not simple and took time, but I still have no regrets about my choice. I made the decision regarding the study program I wish to attend after consulting with close family members and teachers,” says Dominyka Goldbergaitė, a journalism student at Vilnius University.
However, according to the girl, one of the things that make such considerations easier and the best way to find out which study programs are suitable and which are not, is participation in career, study, and consultation days. During such days one can explore the study environment meet current students and future lecturers before the beginning of studies. At events like this, one can even discover an interesting program which was not even considered previously.
1. Get acquainted with the study environment
Each higher education institution differs in its size, student campus and study location, classrooms, and buildings, course size. The whole study environment is without a doubt an important part of the study. After becoming a student for one day, you will realize whether you feel brave and comfortable in this study environment, whether you like the atmosphere in the chosen faculty.
"For the first time, I entered the university premises before I was even a high school student. At that time, the students of the former Centre for Oriental Studies celebrated their faculty days. My sister studied Indology there. I was very impressed by the authentic university environment and the large surrounding spaces. Later, I took part in several excursions and was able to see the modern laboratories located around LSC and other spaces in Saulėtekis,” Dominyka recalls her first acquaintance with the university.
According to her, the study environment and spaces at the university must be not only cozy but also comfortable to study both alone and in group work, to relax between lectures or just to have discussions with a group of friends.
2. Meet future lecturers
The lecturers are the people you will interact with a lot and who will help you get your diploma, will teach you, and inspire you to study at the university for four years. Therefore, it is very important that a connection is established between the student and the lecturer.
Events such as "Student for a Day" are a great opportunity to meet your future lecturers, get to know them a little, and ask any kind of questions.
3. Get acquainted with the form of lectures
The first semester of study is very different from the lessons undertaken in school. Dominyka, who came to the university to study journalism, agrees with this statement. “I realized that the process of studying at university is not the same as studying in high school. Of course, I had to get used to the different environments and confusing corridors. Another thing that is different is that you have to become much more responsible for your own study process and you have to become a more active participant in this process. In order to achieve good results, it is necessary to put in a lot of effort and not only listen carefully to the lecturer, but also take an interest in additional literature, investigate more different sources,” the girl explains.
According to her, the student and lecturer at the university become colleagues, and after coming into the university you get to meet a lot of new people, each of whom brings their own ideas, knowledge, and experience, therefore, seminars are a great medium to express one's thoughts and discussions freely, while the lectures are a great area to listen and take notes on key theses.
4. Make sure that the study program is right for you
Dominyka spent a lot of time reviewing study program plans: "I wanted my studies to be as diverse as possible: I wanted to acquire not only theoretical but also practical knowledge as well as develop general competencies. Of course, further study and career opportunities were also important.” However, she made the decision to study a specific program after consulting the people who are important to her.
Another good idea is to study the plans and schedules of the programs of interest online. However, an even better way to get to know the university and the program in practice, while also finding out if everything is appropriate, is to take part in events organized for that purpose.
"I attended the “Student for a Day” event when I was a high school student. During this event, I had the opportunity not only to hear or read about my studies but also, at least for a short time, really experience what it is like to be a student and "try" the studies that were of interest to me at that particular time. I also brought a blank notebook, in which I tried to outline everything that the lecturer said or showed – I wanted to feel like a real student and try my hand,” Dominyka laughs.
5. Make the decision easier
Dominyka wishes the participants to take the opportunity and get as many good impressions and useful information from it as possible, which will later facilitate the process of consideration and the process of applying to the university will cause less fear, stress, and uncertainty.
“I believe that this was a wonderful experience. I did not only fill the notebook with notes but also learned a lot of useful information about the studies and what they are like,” says the future journalist.
This year, Vilnius University offers to attend more than 230 lectures in Lithuanian, 21 in English, three in Polish, four in Russian, and two in German.
Vilnius University information