All Grown Up: Malia Obama Through The Years (4 of 9)

Life immediately after the White House

At the end of Barack Obama’s presidency, Malia bid farewell to the White House, her home for eight years. Reflecting on their time there, Barack expressed gratitude for the extraordinary privilege of residing in the White House and the joy it brought, especially seeing his daughters grow into remarkable, grounded young women. Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Bush, familiar with the spotlight as daughters of a former president, encouraged Malia and Sasha to embrace college and self-discovery, urging them to prioritize genuine friendships over judgmental voices. As their time in the White House drew to a close, the Obama sisters cherished their final moments, even hosting a nostalgic sleepover. Michelle described the emotional farewells, highlighting the sentimental attachment to the place and its staff, who had become like family to them.

Malia decided to take a gap year before attending Harvard

After graduating from Sidwell Friends, Malia opted to take a year off before starting at Harvard University. This decision was supported by Harvard itself, providing her a respite from the public eye, given her father’s presidency ending. During this time, she engaged in diverse activities, attending the Sundance Film Festival, joining the Dakota Pipeline Protest, interning at the Weinstein Company (which is pretty cringy in hindsight), and embarking on the aforementioned 83-day program in South America, visiting Bolivia and Peru. She also enjoyed events like Lollapalooza and accompanied her parents on a brief trip to Indonesia. This gap year allowed her to explore various interests and experiences before beginning her college journey in the fall of 2017.