Milda Pivoriūtė is a sociologist with a PhD in Social Sciences, a lecturer and researcher at Vilnius University, and a board member of Jaunimo linija, an emotional support helpline for young people. As a researcher and lecturer, she collaborates with a range of institutions and is actively engaged in science communication and public sociology. Her academic work focuses on youth, the transition to adulthood, and the quarter-life crisis. In 2025, she conducted a study of Lithuanian secondary school students, travelling to schools across the country and spending 25 hours in conversation with young people about how they perceive their generation and what they expect from the universities they plan to attend. 

University (and Theatre) as a Space for Young People to Rehearse the Self 

Research on youth shows that in today’s post-industrial societies, young people increasingly experience a quarter-life crisis linked to more complex and prolonged searches for identity, career direction, life purpose, and a sense of vocation. In this context, the university is seen not only as an important stage in acquiring knowledge and building a career, but also as a space where independent life begins — a place for self-exploration, self-realisation, and socialisation. It becomes a kind of “privileged observatory” from which young people can explore both themselves and the world. 

At the same time, they also experience anxiety and doubt about the meaning of their studies, future employment prospects, and other important life decisions. For some, the university becomes a kind of “waiting room”: a safe and socially legitimate space in which to postpone major decisions and the transition into “real life.” 

In her presentation, Milda will discuss the expectations and challenges of contemporary youth, as well as the role that the university — and participation in its cultural activities, including theatre — can play during the phase of emerging adulthood.