Malala Yousafzai Redefines Bravery, Finds Love and Herself at Oxford

In October 2025, Malala Yousafzai, the renowned global activist, is sharing her personal story in a new memoir titled "Finding My Way." The 28-year-old reintroduces herself not as a symbol, but as a young woman navigating the universal challenges of friendship, trauma, and first love.

Before attending Oxford University, Malala's life was a series of speeches and panels, a stark contrast to the isolation she felt. "In school, I had literally no friends. I made one best friend by the end of my school time," she shares. When she arrived at Oxford, her goal was to connect and experience a normal student life, even with a security detail in tow. This included secret, dangerous rooftop climbs, which she describes as "a moment where I felt so close to nature, so close to myself."

However, Malala's journey was not without its darker moments. An experiment with a bong triggered a severe panic attack, violently bringing back the trauma of the Taliban attack. "Immediately my body froze... I thought I was reliving the attack," she recalls. This experience was life-changing, as Malala realized her recovery was not complete. "I healed from a bullet and I thought the recovery was done. But many years later... all the trauma, all the flashbacks, it made me feel like everything was coming back."

Despite her personal struggles, Malala found love at Oxford, meeting Asser, a tall and handsome man who made her laugh. "The moment I saw him, I knew that he was my type," she says. Their relationship blossomed, and Malala realized she was ready to embrace love, even as she maintains a critical view of traditional marriage.

Malala's memoir, "Finding My Way," reflects her ongoing journey of self-discovery, where she continues to inspire not as a perfect icon, but as a profoundly human being, still navigating the unplanned path of life.