So you’ve been at college for a couple of weeks. The initial explosion of craziness and excitement from being back with your best friends and embracing the inexpressible feeling of freedom and bad choices has died down a little (just a bit, don’t worry). Hell week has already hit you, is currently hitting you, or will be hitting you in the near future. You start realizing you’ve already gone over budget for the month and your mom is blowing up your phone with texts about how you’ve used too much data. You’re getting into a routine of school, work, clubs, activities, interviews, meetings, lying on your bed, watching Netflix, eating the entire kitchen. The norm. But something’s missing. You don’t have your absolute best friend in the world. The love of your life, pushing open your door, wagging his or her tail and begging to be petted.

It’s hard being away from your dog.

But I promise, you CAN get through this. WE can get through this.

The most important thing to remember is that it’s basically October. Which means it’s almost November. So, Thanksgiving break is close and then you’ll be able to see your puppy!

Unless you’re lucky enough to be able to drive home and visit your puppy on the weekends. In which case, immediately stop reading this and just go. Screw the test you have tomorrow, see your puppy for those of us who can’t!

For the rest of us, just hold on a little longer. Until break, it’ll be hard. But not completely impossible. To deal with the separation, here are a couple of tips to get you through.

Ask to pet other dogs when you see them.

Then steal them. I’ve heard that if you point in one direction & exclaim, “look at that!” you can easily sneak away in the opposite direction without the other person noticing. Or just grab the puppy and run. It’s totally justifiable.

Get past the pain of separation by putting up pictures of your dog all over your room.

And all over your house. In the hallway. In the kitchen. In the cabinets. In your roommates’ rooms. See? It’s basically like your puppy is at college with you.

Here’s another option:

Stop by a pet store and buy some essentials. Just ignore any concerned friends who tell you that it’s not normal to buy dog food and a leash if you don’t have a dog. It’s totally normal. Don’t they have a dog at home that they miss?

Speaking of home, call your house.

When your parents answer the phone, immediately ask to speak to your dog. Start barking to let your best friend know that you miss them and can’t wait to see them again soon.

And hey, before you know it, you’ll be back at home with your puppy!

Remember, though the distance is tough, nothing is better than seeing how happy your puppy is when you arrive home for break (not even cancelled classes).