What if you could return to university simply for the pleasure of learning? Former students Eimantė Arbutavičiūtė and Sibilė Šimkevičiūtė share why they chose the laisvasis klausytojas status and how it allowed them to reconnect with academic life without long-term commitments. Their reflections highlight curiosity, intellectual joy, and learning as a meaningful personal experience.

Why did you decide to take a course under the status of laisvasis klausytojas?

Eimantė Arbutavičiūtė: I graduated from English Philology studies in 2022, and over time, I really missed the intellectual stimulation you get from discussions at seminars and doing a lot of reading. I've been thinking about going back to university for a while, but I didn't want to enrol in MA. So, this is where laisvasis klausytojas comes in. This status gives an opportunity for people like me to enjoy academia while not committing to full-time studies.

Sibilė Šimkevičiūtė: I loved doing my bachelor’s in media studies, but even so, I didn’t fully appreciate the fact that I got to spend most of my time learning back then. I missed it, so laisvasis klausytojas was the perfect opportunity to get back to learning.

What would you say to someone who's thinking about enrolling as a laisvasis klausytojas, but isn't sure if it's worth it?

Eimantė Arbutavičiūtė: This was my extracurricular activity this semester, and it made me extremely happy. If you're thinking about enrolling for your own enjoyment and have doubts, browse for more courses. I chose the one that I've been curious about for a while, so I didn't have any doubts. Maybe you just need to find a course that really resonates with you!

Sibilė Šimkevičiūtė: Do it! Pick the thing you love or want to learn more about and do it! It doesn’t feel like work, it just feels like time well spent. 10/10 would recommend!

Has this experience influenced your professional or academic goals in any way?

Eimantė Arbutavičiūtė: This experience did not influence my professional goals. And it's because it wasn't meant to. I enrolled in a course out of curiosity, purely for my own enjoyment. That was the goal, and I achieved it 100%!

Sibilė Šimkevičiūtė: Not really, but the goal wasn’t to evolve professionally. I just wanted to have a good time learning something new. And I did!