Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai has revealed the profound personal struggles and loneliness she experienced after moving to Birmingham as a teenager, alongside her journey to mental health recovery, in her candid new book Finding My Way.
From Pakistan to Birmingham: A Stark Contrast
The social activist, now 28, details the stark contrast between her childhood in Mingora, Pakistan, and her new life in the UK. Shot in the head by the Taliban at age 15 for campaigning for girls' education, Malala's public persona is well-known, but her private battles have remained largely hidden.
"In Pakistan, I was a hard-working student, but I was also mischievous," Malala told Metro. "My friends and I would sign up for every competition and activity." This confident, playful spirit was challenged upon arriving in Birmingham, where she faced social rejection and internalised feelings of being "too boring or too serious." In private, she would practice hip hop moves and sing along to her idol, Taylor Swift.
Oxford University: Freedom and Its Challenges
When Malala began studying at the University of Oxford in 2017, making friends became her top priority. She immersed herself in student life, joining numerous societies during freshers' week, trying rowing, and even climbing onto her college roof at midnight.
Her student experiences included:
- Attending balls and going clubbing with security in tow
- Falling for a "bad boy" who she later realised was mainly interested in free meals
- Becoming a trusted source of relationship advice for her friends
The academic demands at Oxford eventually forced her to confront her packed schedule. After her supervisor warned she wasn't living up to her potential, Malala requested an official letter forbidding her from public engagements so she could focus on her Philosophy, Politics, and Economics degree.
A Mental Health Breakthrough and Looking Forward
A pivotal moment in her mental health journey occurred at university when trying a bong hit triggered her first flashbacks of the assassination attempt. "I couldn't turn it off, and spent hours on the floor, shaking and screaming," she recalled in an Instagram post. This led to panic attacks and a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder from a therapist.
Addressing frequent comparisons to climate activist Greta Thunberg, Malala stated, "I've spent my whole life being compared with somebody." She emphasised that both activists share a goal to "uplift the voices of the voiceless" and that supporters should amplify their respective work rather than pit them against each other.
The book also shares sweet details of meeting and falling in love with fellow cricket fan Asser Malik, highlighting the equality and mutual respect in their relationship. The couple, who now live in London, celebrate their fourth wedding anniversary this month.
Malala will be promoting Finding My Way at the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh on November 30, 2025.
