Malala opens about life at Oxford in new British Vogue feature

Hailed as the world’s youngest Nobel Laureate, Malala Yousufzai, in an article written for British Vogue has penned down her emotions about her life at the prestigious Oxford University.

The young social activist who has always been passionate about furthering girl education has come a long way after being targeted by the Taliban in the Swat Valley. In her article for the British Vogue, Malala shed light on how her life at the Oxford University has been mostly busy:

“At 11 years old, I woke up one morning and could not go to school because the Taliban had banned girls' education in Swat, the region of Pakistan where I was born. I am so pleased that I spoke out and for my years of campaigning that have followed. Now 21, I am able to study at a prestigious university — but I want to live in a world where every girl is able to weigh her future career options in the way I hope to when I graduate.

She added, “Last year, I would find myself running between classes, study groups, cricket matches and meetings with extracurricular groups. I would go to a friend's room or they would come to mine to chat after dinner; when I would look at the clock again, it would be three in the morning! A few – well, many – times, I started an essay at 11pm the night before it was due.”

Malala then went on to stress on the importance of education for women, narrating her experiences of meeting with young girls, who contrary to their circumstance, have struggled to acquire education.

“A few years ago, I met Zaynab Abdi, 21, from Yemen. She told me how she fled wars in three countries before she was 17 years old. Today Zaynab is a refugee, living in America and studying international relations at a women's college. She works three jobs to pay for her tuition, gets top marks, serves on the student council and captains a soccer team. She wants to become a human-rights lawyer and return home to help her country,” she wrote.

Urging people to promote and advocate for education for girls, Malala concluded, “Whether you're a feminist or an economist – or just a person who wants to live in a better world – you should want to see all girls in school. Listen to the stories of girls such as Andrea and Zaynab and share them with your friends and family. Speak out against injustice when you see it. Vote for leaders who believe in equality and commit to investing more in education."