It’s the beginning of the semester and, for freshman, the beginning of their college experience. Now this article can go for both genders, but seeing as this is HER Campus Clemson, I’m writing this for my ladies out there. For the younger ladies just entering the college world, let me stress to you how much you do not need to be going downtown to meet a boy and bring him home just because you think “that’s the college way”. You might not think I am the best person to write this because I have been in the same monogamous relationship for 2 years now, but I have heard plenty of horror stories about girls bringing guys home and it not being the best experience. So to counteract the unfortunate one night stands with boys, why not invest in a wonderful long term relationship with a puppy!? There are plenty of reasons to bring pets home instead of boys (I have a dog and kitten, and it is the greatest!)…and here they are!
1. Dogs won’t wake up in the morning and awkwardly ask you to leave or slide out of your apartment at 4A.M.
In fact, dogs are super excited to see you in the mornings and will even cuddle closer! With the colder months coming, dogs are the greatest heat source. Although dogs manage to take up the entire bed, even if they are tiny pomeranians, I’d much rather wake up to a wet puppy snout in my face than some random dude’s morning breath.
2. Puppies and kittens won’t steal from you.
This might not be completely true…because they will obviously steal your heart (I’m sorry, I had to). They might also attempt to steal your food from your hands… but at least you can trust a kitten won’t take your cash from your purse or steal your laptop. Now that I think about it, bringing a guy home must be so annoying. I feel like I would have to hide anything valuable I own. Not worth the effort. My stuff > Boys.
3. Dogs understand the word, “no”.
With all the recent stories in the news of rape cases being dismissed or given weak sentences, I’d much rather be safe than sorry. My heart goes out to any girl in the world that has said the word no, and was still forced into sex related acts. If I can tell my dog “no” to eating something that I drop on the floor, and she immediately stops, boys should be able to do the same, no excuses. Don’t ever settle for lame excuses not to use protection or be pressured into something you don’t want to do.
4. Animals are way cuter when they’re acting drunk.
Obviously, I do not get my animals drunk, but they are still in their baby phases so they can get a little crazy. Watching them run around the house knocking things over is a lot more hilarious than watching a drunk guy try to hit on me. Have you ever played with a laser pointer and a cat? Point made.
5. Animals can do things that if boys did it would be super awkward.
When a dog licks my face, it’s acceptable. If a boy does it, where the heck did he learn this from, and please stop. I’ll let my dog having an accident on my carpet slide, but if a boy ever does that to your carpet, question your standards, reevaluate your choices, and run. If you need a more in depth visual of examples of things that would be weird if a human did that a cat does, you need to see this video.
6. Bringing an animal home will actually make you feel better about yourself the next morning.
People are empowered by different things, whether that’s hooking up with multiple guys in one night, or the same guy over 2 years… but we can all agree how awesome we’d feel after bringing home a brand new adopted pet! Think of all those poor babies sitting at the shelter waiting for a forever home (but please only adopt if you can afford it!). I’ve had the random “I hooked up with my ex” moment before, and let me just say… adopting my kitten satisfied me more than he ever did.
I am in no way saying that you should not bring a boy home if you want to, but I will stress that you should always use protection and if they bring up excuses, kick them out. They’re not worth your time and they do not respect you. Next time, just bring a kitten back home!