Atreyu, Class of 2029

Born and raised in Prague, in the heart of Europe, Atreyu comes from a truly international family, with a Scottish-American mother and a Dutch-Danish father. While they could say they are from everywhere, what matters most to Atreyu is simply being themselves.

Atreyu finds great joy in giving others the space to be who they are. Openly non-binary since the age of 12, they often felt excluded at school. Scouts became a turning point: a place where everyone was included in the games, the activities and group life, regardless of who they were or where they came from. This experience inspired Atreyu to give back through volunteering and to get involved in civic initiatives that help build communities where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.

Why did they join Forward College?
Atreyu found that Forward College’s values aligned closely with their own. In their view, collaborating with others, thinking critically and pushing yourself to grow are essential to thriving in a fast-paced world, and Forward has given them the chance to develop these skills. They chose the Psychology, Politics, Law and Economics (PPLE) programme because they see these four disciplines as key to understanding how people operate in the world. As Atreyu likes to point out, PPLE pronounced as a word sounds a lot like “people”, a little quirk they find amusing.

Best memory at Forward College
Rather than a single favourite memory, Atreyu treasures the small moments that have made Lisbon feel like home. One of the first was stepping off the plane and realising this was their new home. Since then, their favourite memories have become a mix of many experiences: photographing the cooking contests, trips to the cinema and the beach, late-night conversations with friends, vegan meal-prepping and lively class discussions.