Against the challenges of homelessness and the demands of motherhood, a determined 23-year-old lady named Emily Hattersley has achieved remarkable success. She graduated from Cardiff University, United Kingdom with a honors bachelor’s degree.
Emily balanced caring for the newborn daughter and university studies and still graduated from Cardiff University, Wales in the United Kingdom with a first-class degree in Media and Communications.
She stated that she faced so many challenges before she enrolled in the university. From losing her dad at nine, to undergoing spinal surgery, and was made homeless at 16. Despite all her setbacks, Emily said she remained stubborn and was determined to push through.
“My dad died when I was nine, and I was made homeless at 16, following my first spinal surgery. During this time I also had to complete my GCSEs. Studying while being homeless came with its challenges,” she said.
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Emily mentioned that mental health struggles left her with barely enough energy to manage college life and the feeling of stagnation also worsened her condition, as she felt increasingly unproductive.
She said after a year of relying and living withher friend, she realized the strain she was causing and decided to seek professional care. Emly stated that she longed for a period of respite where she could focus solely on her recovery and studies.
”After a year of sofa-surfing at a friend’s house, I decided that I would put myself into care. I felt I didn’t want to be a burden on them any longer. I felt like it would be nice for someone to look after me for a change, so I could focus on my studies,” she said.
Emily mentioned that she was given a flat by the council so she could complete her studies, and she managed to pass her A-levels, getting the requirements needed to go to university.
“My flat was far away from anyone, and I very often didn’t have enough spare money to catch public transport to see my friends or my partner. I also didn’t have the funds to pay for internet, so this was a very isolating time but it did mean that I had a lot of time to spend on my A-Level coursework,” she said.
In 2016, Emily started her university course, and at the end of the first year she enrolled in an internship her situation changed when she discovered she was pregnant.
“After a night out, I had a hangover that lasted for three days, so I knew something wasn’t right. The two pink lines were as clear as day and I immediately got tunnel vision. I started hyperventilating and had to sit down,” Emily said.
“I could see everything I’d done in my life flash before my eyes. I knew the statistics of students completing their degrees with babies were low. I knew I had a tough decision to make,” she added.
Emily said she told her boyfriend, Owen who in turn encouraged her she was going to overcome the phase. Deciding to continue her studies, she said she kept her pregnancy from her friends, for fear of being judged.
“I was afraid of the judgement, and I didn’t want to be laughed at when I told them my plan to finish the rest of uni with a baby. My friends from university would invite me to party with them, and I would make up different excuses not to go, so I wouldn’t have to explain why I wasn’t drinking,” she said.
She said she knew life would change after becoming a mother, so she worked hard to finish her studies before the baby was born. Emily mentioned that living far from the university made it difficult to attend early morning classes and she had to spend long hours in the library and often stayed up late to complete assignments.
Emily said she considered quitting university after her daughter, Daisy, was born as the challenges of motherhood were overwhelming. She stated that breastfeeding every two hours, meeting deadlines, and supporting her partner’s studies were some of the hurdles she faced.
Despite the challenges, Emily overcame them and, graduated with first-class honors with the support of her partner. Offering advice to others facing adversity, Emily emphasized the importance of staying positive and seeking help.
Emily stressed that challenges are temporary and that every experience contributes to personal growth.
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