AILSA CHANG, HOST:
Every week, a guest draws a card from NPR's Wild Card deck and answers a big question about their life. Malala Yousafzai is known globally for surviving a Taliban attack and winning a Nobel Peace Prize. Her new memoir, "Finding My Way," is about just that, trying to live a normal life. She reflects on making friends in college.
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MALALA YOUSAFZAI: They just wanted to talk about college stuff and the next assignment, and let's get groceries. What are you doing tonight? And it was nothing about, you know, what happened to you when you were attacked? Or what was the Nobel Peace Prize like? None of those questions. And that's why I found those friendships valuable, and I will treasure them forever.
CHANG: Yousafzai talked more about her college experience with Wild Card host, Rachel Martin.
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RACHEL MARTIN: What's a piece of advice you were smart to ignore?
YOUSAFZAI: I have ignored many, many things (laughter) - advice, feedback. When I was in college, that's when I ignored advice because, you know, if I had listened to the advice that my mom or other people had given me, I would not have had the college experience that helped me grow and learn who I am as a person. So my dad just wanted me to study and get the top marks in college, maybe run for some Oxford Union president's role. And...
MARTIN: You went to Oxford. Yeah. We should just say that.
YOUSAFZAI: Yes. But I knew that I could come back to these textbooks anytime. I could read them, you know, at any point in my life. But I am with friends who are my age, and they're all doing fun stuff. They're going to events, and I want to be with them. So I remember one day in a library, I was looking at these books and thinking about my assignment, and I saw my friends giggling and laughing outside. And I said, you know what? I want to be with them. So, you know, closed my book, went off, and I decided that I can learn better when I'm with friends. This is an exposure I have not had before.
MARTIN: Yeah.
YOUSAFZAI: So in that case, I ignored my father's advice. There were, you know, events and opportunities where I was thinking about my mom and, like, what would my mom say? So, for example, there was this, aerobics - '80s aerobics theme party.
MARTIN: Oh, yeah. You wrote about this in the book. I love this. Yeah.
YOUSAFZAI: Yes. And, you know, I was, like, so excited. I said, like, you know, we should go, but then when I thought about the theme and how would I dress up for it...
MARTIN: Right.
YOUSAFZAI: ...I said, OK, maybe I can't.
MARTIN: Eighties aerobics is not like super-modest attire.
YOUSAFZAI: Yes. And, like, what would my mom say? Because my mom is of the view that I should be wearing more of the traditional Pakistani...
MARTIN: Yeah.
YOUSAFZAI: ...Shalwar kameez. That's because, you know, the community expects us to be representing...
MARTIN: Yeah.
YOUSAFZAI: ...The culture. But, you know, it's then less about representing the culture and more about the men's misogyny who are judging you for what you wear. So in that moment, I said, you know, do I want to be myself in this moment and have this experience that any college student should have a chance to experience? So yeah, I put on this, like, bright yellow top and a lot of glitter on my face...
MARTIN: There you go.
YOUSAFZAI: ...And big yellow earrings and (laughter) put on some sunglasses and a cap, and I...
MARTIN: Boom.
YOUSAFZAI: ...Went off.
MARTIN: Eighties...
YOUSAFZAI: Yes.
MARTIN: ...Fitness superstar (laughter).
YOUSAFZAI: Yes.
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CHANG: And you can watch a longer conversation with Malala Yousafzai by following NPR's Wild Card on YouTube. Her new book, "Finding My Way," is out now. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.
