Since middle school, I had one big dream in life: to attend university in Southern California. But the journey to get here was anything but easy.
I was born in the Czech Republic and grew up in a small town called Ráječko, with a population of just 1,400 people. My parents, who had spent their entire lives in and around that town, faced a life-changing decision when I came into the world. They were determined to give me the best opportunities possible, even if it meant leaving everything they had ever known.
So, with heavy hearts and hopeful spirits, we moved to Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. My parents knew that relocating would provide me with the best education possible and, perhaps even more importantly, the chance to become fluent in English, a language they believed would unlock many doors to my future.
The move wasn’t easy, but we somehow guided our way through it together. They made this leap, knowing it would challenge them but also believing it would change our lives for the better.
And it did. Fast forward to when I was 18 years old: I graduated from the International School of Prague, having spent 12 years preparing for the moment I would finally fulfill my dream. I was moving to Malibu to attend Pepperdine University.
That summer, I was buried in a never ending amount of paperwork and days at the U.S. embassy, waiting to hear if I’d receive my student visa. When it finally came through, I was overjoyed, but nothing prepared me for the heartache of saying goodbye to my parents. It wasn’t just a goodbye for a few months — it was a goodbye to my childhood.
August and September of my first year were amazing. Every day felt like a vacation, spending my days with friends and going on adventures around Malibu and Los Angeles. Until one day, where everything all of a sudden flipped.
I was hit with an overwhelming sense of loneliness and anxiety. Days felt heavy, and despite having a wonderful group of friends and living in the place I had always dreamed of, the emptiness wouldn’t leave.
But never once did I think about transferring or moving closer to home. Deep down, I knew that Malibu was where I was meant to be. I held onto that hope, believing that with time, things would fall into place. And they did. This dream became my reality.
This journey inspired this magazine. Inside, you will find a number of articles that reflect exactly these points in life and the feelings we all feel. You will find stories on the importance of taking risks, maturing throughout college, living with the ‘YOLO’ mindset and learning how to communicate through differences.
With this magazine, I want you to feel seen. To know that your struggles are OK and that the path to your dreams won’t always be easy, but it will be worth it. To know that amazing things take time, and even through the hardest days, sticking to your goals will lead you to places you have always dreamed of.
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Contact Anežka Lišková via email: anezka.liskova@pepperdine.edu