Being away at school means new experiences and a very different life than the one back home. One of the hardest parts of that new life is living without your pet. Whether you’ve had a great day or a terrible one, it sucks coming home and not being able to cuddle with your animal. Here’s how to fill the void of your furry friend.
1. The Internet
The Internet is a blessing for animal lovers. There are endless amounts of cat videos, puppy vines and thousands of baby zoo animal pictures. You can watch live streams of kittens in shelters and use remote controlled toys to play with them. Whatever your pet passion is, the World Wide Web surely has a way to access it.
2. Parks
Parks are great places to meet multiple dogs (or just getting outside in general). Wherever your school is located, there will likely be people walking their dogs. Amory Park, specficially, has a dog park full of furry friends running around and is located just right off campus! Approach the owner with a friendly smile and ask if you can pet their dog. Make sure you get permission, just in case the dog is aggressive or is training as a service dog. If they say no, there are other pets in the park. Just watching dogs play outside can help ease the scratches on your heart.
3. Volunteer
Many schools (including BU) have community service centers with various different venues for service and some of those programs will work directly with animals. Check it out and see if there’s one you want to get involved in. If you can’t find something that works for you, search outside of school. Look into volunteering at local animal shelters or see if there’s an opportunity for pet sitting.
4. Family Contact
Finally, no animal quite matches up to your animal. And that’s when you employ the help of your family. Ask your siblings to send you daily Snapchats of your pet or have your parents hold them up on the video chat. It’s not the same as being there, but it is a decent substitute.
Thanksgiving break is less than a week away. If you have plans to travel home, you are prepped for reunions with friends and family and the most important reunion: the one with your pet. Enjoy time with your furry friend(s) while you can and remember winter break is right around the corner.