The Barometer Online

Issue date: 3/9/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Jeff Wick Nyssa and Adolfo Osorio live in the Orchard Court apartments with their seven-month-old daughter Manyla. Nyssa, 19, and Adolfo, 20, are both full-time students at OSU.

Adolfo and Nyssa Osorio share similarities with many OSU students. They struggle with the cost of textbooks, they both get stressed during exam time, and they enjoy spending time with friends.

However, the couple's college lives took a turn when Nyssa learned she was pregnant with their daughter, Manyla, now a bright-eyed and sociable baby of seven months.

"When I found out, I didn't know what to do, whether to keep her or not," Nyssa said.

Both graduated from Reedsport High School in 2006 and 2007, respectively. Adolfo, 20, entered college with a full-ride scholarship from the Ford Foundation. Nyssa, 19, joined him at OSU a year later.

It was during Nyssa's freshman year that she learned, towards the end of fall term, that she was pregnant. "At first, as a freshman, you feel overwhelmed with school," Nyssa said.

She said that she has always been studious so it was not as hectic as it could have been. However, when Nyssa first learned that she was pregnant, she said she was scared.

"I remember crying at first, and then when I actually talked to my parents, they were a lot more supportive than I thought they would be," Nyssa said. "My mom was very excited."

Nyssa said that one thing that gave her motivation was something her dad told her.

"My dad, the first thing he said besides 'OK, you're pregnant,' was 'You're not quitting school, you're going to go to school, if we need to help you with everything, you are going to finish school.'"

Nyssa said the thought of quitting never crossed her mind. "I didn't want to quit," Nyssa said. "My career path is already planned out." Nyssa plans to become a high school English teacher and coach volleyball, following a long family line of educators. Her grandmother, mother, and father have all been teachers, and her mother also coaches volleyball.

Nyssa also said the positive reaction she received from Adolfo helped her through the process. "When I found out, I didn't have the feeling that he was going to be scared and run off," Nyssa said. She said that Adolfo proposed marriage to her a week before she learned about the pregnancy.

Continued...

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