My name is Lalini Shanela Ranaraja. I grew up in Sri Lanka, a tropical island-nation blessed with perpetual summer, and yet I ended up going to college nine thousand miles away, in Rock Island, Illinois! I’m studying anthropology, journalism and creative writing because I couldn’t pick just one. In my spare time, I dabble in languages (I speak four), browse art supply stores, and people-watch. I require at least one long, rambling walk a day, even if there’s eight inches of snow on the ground.
I’m excited for the sheer unpredictability of what lies ahead. I'm looking forward to getting lost in an unfamiliar city, to grappling with a new academic system and to the possibility of meeting fascinating new humans around every corner.
