As Malala Yousafzai begins her second year at university, she reflects on her life at Oxford and why every girl deserves the same chance.
With my subfusc academic dress ready, prereading completed and new walking boots waiting in my wardrobe, I started my first week at Oxford’s Lady Margaret Hall in October 2017. University life is a big change for any student and I was no exception. None of the food in the dining hall could compare with my mum’s chicken and rice, and in the beginning I missed my parents, and sometimes my little brothers, too. They often complain that I don’t miss them as much as they miss me—which is probably true. But that is because life at Oxford is busy.
I had long lists of books to read and many essays to write to keep up with my Philosophy, Politics and Economics course. Along with studies, you also want to socialise—to hear speakers, go to balls, cheer at sporting events. The hardest part for me is managing my time, as, on top of my studies and balancing work with Malala Fund, I want to take advantage of everything university has to offer. I joined the cricket club, Oxford Union and the Oxford Pakistan Society. I attended lectures and film screenings and became a tour guide to encourage younger students, especially those from under-represented groups, to apply to Lady Margaret Hall. I made wonderful new friends, and I had too many overscheduled days.
In the first 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. I overwhelmed myself with the possibilities of university life. And I’m grateful for that. I know how lucky I am to have access to an incredible education, lectures, art, sport and new perspectives.
Denne historien er fra January 2019-utgaven av VOGUE India.
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Denne historien er fra January 2019-utgaven av VOGUE India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Breathe In, Breathe Out
A powerful tool to help you master your nervous system or another biohacking buzzword? SIMONE DHONDY explores the inhalations and exhalations of breathwork
Red Pill, Blue Pill
India's nutraceutical industry is booming thanks to advanced technology, distrust of the medical system and rising vanity. With multivitamins becoming purer and more effective, NIDHI GUPTA finds out if supplements have become the new serum
Sign of the times
No longer do you need to have an answer to, \"What is the significance of this?\" when people point to your new tattoo. ARMAN KHAN discovers that everything is on the table when you get inked temporarily
Return to form
Watching the world's most elite athletes deliver the best performances of their careers rekindled SONAKSHI SHARMA's own love for sports
Dimple, All Day
YOU MAY HAVE WATCHED HER ON THE BIG SCREEN FOR OVER FIVE DECADES, BUT DON'T MAKE THE MISTAKE OF ASSUMING THAT YOU KNOW DIMPLE KAPADIA.
MUSIC, TAKE CONTROL
As someone who had always sought safety in numbers, ALIZA FATMA often wondered what her own company would feel like. The answer arrived unexpectedly when she attended her first-ever music festival, one of the largest in the world, all alone
Let it grow
When we think of hardworking farmers toiling in India's scorching heat, we often think of men, the sweat on their brow, the sinews in their arms. JYOTI KUMARI speaks to four women who are championing the invisible female labour that keeps these fields running
YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE
When armless archer Sheetal Devi set her sights on the Paralympic Games this year, she knew she had a tough journey ahead of her. Luckily, her mother was with her every step of the way.
Beauty and the feast
The appeal of Indian weddings has always been in a sprawling spread. For additional bragging rights, Aditi Dugar recommends going beyond designer tablecloths and monogrammed napkins.
Sweet serendipity
From a scavenger hunt-inspired proposal to a Moroccan-themed baraat, Malvika Raj and Armaan Rai's love story prioritised playfulness throughout their blended celebrations.