Q&A with Lamine Sylla

Lamine Sylla travelled nearly 4,500 miles from his home in Africa to IU’s campus for his freshman year of college.

MAJOR: French education, social work
HOMETOWN: Dakar, Senegal
DORM: Collins

Q: What is it like to be an international student at IU?

A: It’s a fun experience. It’s an opportunity for me. Before, I didn’t know all of these cultures, and I’m learning a lot from them. I’ve met so many people and have hung out with so many different people, I could live anywhere.

Q: What advice do you have for new freshmen?

A: Stick in school and don’t party a lot. College and fun go together, but work is a part of that. You can’t party every week and forget about your work. Also, just try to get to know other people. Be open. Talk to your peers. That’s the college experience.

Q: What difficulties did you have this year and how did you overcome them?

A: I thought high school would be more of a transition into college, but it was a lot harder than I thought. But since I started working harder, I picked up the pace and got used to it. Writing essays and reading surprised me but it worked out.

Q: What surprised you the most about this year?

A: I met students from all over the world. I met people from all backgrounds. It is very diverse and I didn’t expect that. It really impressed me. I can hang out with any group of students I want. There are so many opportunities with culture here.

Q: What would you have done differently?

A: I would have tried to get ready more and read more. I would tell everyone that college is not easy. You pay a lot of money to come here and you need to spend time on your work. Not everyone has this opportunity. This is a blessing and you should do the best you can to make your parents and everyone who is behind you proud.