Malala Yousafzai

In college, though, this was the first time that I allowed myself to be more of myself, to really just test it.

And to be honest, I didn't even know who I was.

Am I funny?

Am I not?

What do I enjoy?

I didn't know any of that.

I have never seen boys my age.

I have never, you know, been away from my parents or lived on my own.

I can decide.

I can go to a Diwali party.

I can stay up late at 3 a.m.

And, you know, like my parents would not know about this.

And, you know, I could sign up for rowing or I could go to the aerobics 80s themed party.

Any of that.

We could do all of that.

I was somehow feeling that I was reliving all the missed years of my childhood because of the activism that I had to take from such a young age that I missed.

You know, I think about the roof climbing experience oftentimes because that was offered to me by a stranger at college who told me that there is this crazy thing that only cool college students do.

And he offered it to me and I said, OK, I'll see you at midnight.

I told my security, like, I'm done for the day and you guys can go to sleep.

Yeah, I mean, it was awkward to have like guys following you.