Homeless, pregnant and now a first-class graduate
FOR 23-year-old Emily Hattersley, there was a time where finishing college, let alone university, seemed a million miles away.
Made homeless before the age of 18, only a matter of years after her father’s death, thinking beyond one day at a time was a stretch.
That’s why, years later, after overcoming the odds to start her undergraduate degree, even becoming pregnant halfway through wasn’t going to stop her – or persuade her to take some time out.
Now, the determined student has opened up about negotiating the terrifying first weeks of motherhood at the same time as staying up all night to meet her deadlines.
Emily, from Ystrad Rhondda, said: “My mum has quite bad mental health problems and drug abuse problems and my dad died with I was nine. I didn’t have anywhere else to go so I did end up homeless. The first
time [it happened] I was doing my GCSEs. I was sofa surfing between friends for about a year. To be honest I felt like I was taking up someone’s space – I always felt guilty which was the reason I put myself in care. I couldn’t deal with it any more.”
For someone forced to become independent in their early teens, going into foster care didn’t come easy to Emily. So, at 17 years old, the teenager made the decision to go into supported living by herself in Talbot Green.
She said: “I just wanted to have my own space. You usually have to be 18 but I was quite adamant about it. I found I was having to look after myself from a young age.”
With the help of her teachers in Coleg Y Cymoedd, Emily walked away with A-levels at grade A, B and C. From there, after first trying a year in Egyptology in Swansea University, she found her calling studying Journalism and Media Studies at Cardiff.
Emily said: “I had a normal first year, made lots of friends, had fun together – it was really really nice.
“Then that summer I was doing an internship with S3 advertising and on the last day we ended up going out and I had a hangover which lasted three days. I don’t drink that much so I thought something wasn’t right. I took a pregnancy test and found out that I was pregnant.”
For Emily, and her partner Owen, bringing up a baby while still students was never going to be easy.
But together, they took the decision to go ahead without taking an interruption of study.
Emily, now mother to one-yearold Daisy, said: “I went through most of my pregnancy without telling anyone. My friend threw me a gender reveal party which was really nice. Not having that support from family makes you very close with your friends. I also went to talk my speak to my tutors and they were really supportive. A lot said you will find it heard but they were just being honest.”
In April 2018, Emily and Owen became parents to their daughter Daisy.
For Emily, however,the pressure was on to get back to the books almost immediately to meet her deadlines.
She said: “You only get four years of student finance and I had already used one in Swansea – and I wanted to graduate with my friends.
Last week, Emily graduated with a 1st class honours alongside all her friends.
For her, Daily and Owen, it was a moment the family-of-three won’t forget.
She added: “Now I’m just seeing what life throws at me. My plan has never been to have a plan – just keep pushing for the future.”