Last year was the toughest year I’ve ever had. For the first time in my life, I was living states away from my close knit family and my boyfriend of three and half years. To put it straightforward…I was a mess.
For a long time I’ve struggled with anxiety but last year I was officially diagnosed with General Anxiety Disorder. I was put on medicine and prescribed an Emotional Support Animal (or ESA for short). It was a decently long process of finding the right animal for me (not to mention lots of paperwork) but I ultimately ended up with a small black cat named Matilda who lives in my on campus apartment with me.
It’s amazing to have her here with me but it’s not without it’s small hitches. It created some chaos in the housing department because we had to find someone who wasn’t allergic to cats and someone who actually liked and wanted to live with a cat. Needless to say, I went through three roommates. I also have to worry about anyone just walking in and accidentally letting her outside, which could result in losing her for good. She is strictly an indoor cat and was even raised by humans after birth, so she truly has no survival instincts. There are different rules for an ESA than a service dog, so she can’t go to class with me but she can live with me on campus and fly for free. One of my favorite perks of having Matilda is taking her outside on her leash and harness. We get tons of stares and lots of awes and “Oh my gosh she’s so cute!” It’s wonderful!
Every once in a while when I’m in class sometime I worry about maintenance coming and letting her out by accident so I come home in between almost every class, but it’s not a burden. I want to be home with Matilda because despite all the worries, she brings me comfort and ease that I’ve never felt before. Getting Matilda is the best thing that’s ever happened to me and I wouldn’t change a thing.