College is touch, and adding a pet into the mix may seem like a bad idea. But the benefits of having one far outweigh the cons, especially if you’re an animal lover. As long as you live in pet-friendly housing, consider adding a pet to your life for these five reasons!
1. They remind you to be responsible
Animals need to be taken care of, and taking care of them reminds you to be responsible and take care of yourself as well. Sometimes school can get stressful and you forget to eat a meal or two. But having to feed a pet or buy it food reminds you to feed yourself and buy yourself food. Pets also get into things they aren’t supposed, so you have to keep things cleaned up and make sure there’s nothing of importance on the floor, or else it might get eaten.
Photo courtesy Sydney Townsend.
2. They make you active
Pets, especially dogs, need a lot of attention and playtime. Dogs need to be walked often, taken to a dog park to run around, and played with at home so they can get all their energy out. The times when you’re normally just sitting around watching T.V., you now should go on a walk, throw a ball, or play wrestle with a hyper dog so they will calm down.
3. They listen to your problems
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Pets can be the perfect therapist without going to therapy. You can be ranting about an annoying person in class or complaining about your relationship problems, and your pet will sit next to you listening to everything you’re saying. They may not be able to contribute to the conversation, but sometimes it’s better to tell all your issues to something that can’t judge you or tell you to calm down.
4. They’re a wonderful cuddle buddy
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A pet is a little, or sometimes big, cuddle machine. After you build a connection with each other, they will come to you when they’re tired and lay either on top of or next to you. Cuddles from pets are warm and full of fluff, like a heated fuzzy blanket. These cuddles will make you think that life isn’t as bad as it might seem because of how peaceful and content they seem to be.
5. They’re little balls of happiness
Since you’re the one that feeds them and takes care of them, they trust you and are always happy to see you. You can leave for 30 minutes or three hours, and when you come home they will be so excited and happy to see you again. Their excitement and happiness will rub off on you, causing you to be a happier person despite all the college-induced stress.
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