Anna Shyliuk is a recent Vilnius University Law Faculty Master‘s degree graduate from Ukraine. She says, that she wasn‘t initially planning on studying for her Master‘s abroad, but unexpected circumstances brought her here, to Vilnius.
In this interview, she told us her story and spoke about her most cherished memories from her time at VU.
What were your most memorable moments here, at Vilnius University?
The time studying at Vilnius University was probably the most exciting and full of interesting events time for me. What I remember best was probably the 1st of September, when I attended this huge event meant for newcomer students. It took place in the Old Town, the yard of the St. John’s church. The event was very festive and you could really feel, that you’re now a part of this community. Then there was the VU students’ march of all the faculties on Gedimino prospektas, which was also a lot of fun.
I also remember my first seminar, where I did my very first presentation. At first, of course, I was very nervous, but afterwards, each presentation was easier and easier to prepare, because I became much more confident. I’m really happy that during my Master’s thesis presentation, I was confident enough to present my topic so well.
How did you decide to study here in Lithuania, at Vilnius University, out of all other places?
Actually, at first, I did not plan to study abroad. I planned to get my Master‘s degree in Ukraine, just like my Bachelor‘s. But when the full-scale invasion of Russia began, I had to quickly look for opportunities elsewhere. After looking around on the internet I found, that Vilnius University was offering a Grand Duchy of Lithuania Scholarship specifically for Ukrainian students who enroll at VU, which covers tuition fees and living expenses. Then I found a study program that I wanted to enroll in – the International and European law program.
At first, I was a bit scared of it all, but then, after some thinking, I realized that this may be a great opportunity. I ended up applying for it on the very last days. I had to attend an interview and go through the process required to get that scholarship, and lastly – I arrived in Vilnius.
Now that you‘ve graduated, would you say that this was a good decision?
So, a Master‘s degree is not only about knowledge – there are much fewer seminars and reading assignments as compared to a Bachelor‘s degree. For example, our last semester was only for writing our final thesis, and even our previous semesters were mainly based on independent studying. So, even though I learned many new things here, everything was already based on the knowledge I‘d obtained during my Bachelor‘s studies. It‘s not a bad thing, I just wanted to point that out to others considering it.
Something that I really liked was that these studies were in English, so all of us had a great opportunity to improve our language skills and step out of our comfort zone. It was also very interesting to study with people of all those different nationalities and backgrounds.
Also, I need to acknowledge the professors and lecturers. They were very attentive and helpful with all our requests throughout the studies. Even though I wasn‘t sure at first, now I can definitely say that it was a wise decision to come to Vilnius University. I‘m glad I was brave enough to do it.
What would you say was your very first impression of Vilnius when you first came here?
I remember my first thought being that it‘s a very cozy city. It‘s not very big, so therefore, everything is quite near and getting from place to place isn‘t complicated. Of course, I especially like the historic Old Town – it‘s very pretty and nice to live in. I also liked the atmosphere around Christmas.
Of course, my first days here weren‘t all so good, because I was quite scared – I didn‘t know anyone and didn‘t have any friends or relatives around. But then, once I attended my first student events at VU, I found out that I indeed had some people that I knew here, as well. I just didn‘t know they would also be studying in the same place.
My first impression of Vilnius University was that I really liked the main building in the Old Town, the historical one, but our Law Faculty building in Saulėtekis is also very nice. It‘s very modern. Speaking of modern, I just love the library (Vilnius University Library Scientific Communication and Information Center) in Saulėtekis. I used it often to read and study as it‘s very cozy and convenient.
Lastly, what was the most important lesson that you learned during your studies at Vilnius University?
When you‘re not sure whether or not to do something, maybe you‘re a bit scared, always do it. Because it‘s better to regret something that you did than to regret, that you did nothing. If something seems hard or challenging, don‘t be afraid to try it, because in the process you‘ll improve as a person.