At some point in your college career, you've thought "Wow I wish I had a pet!" And it probably doesn't help walking past cute dogs and seeing people have kittens. But wait before you think "I'm too busy for a pet." Or "I can't take care of something when I barely know how to take care of myself!" Having a pet can actually be a great thing and can help you make the most of your time in college.
I'll be honest, I was skeptic when I first moved into an apartment and the thought crossed my mind, I like most people saw a dog or cat and wished I could have my own but I'd always talk myself out of it. But recently I finally made the jump and brought my kitten from home to live with me and I've started noticing subtle differences.
First off, you always have company without having to talk to someone. I'm one of those people that can only do so much social interaction before I don't want to be around anyone, having a pet fixes that. I come home after a day of seeing people, to my cat who doesn't ask questions, leaves me alone or sleeps, which is great. A pet offers companionship that sometimes you can only get from a pet, you can't tell your boyfriend to leave you alone with out hurting feelings, a pet doesn't care they'll go do their own thing no problem.
A pet can help you mature and focus on what's really important. People will spend hours out, avoid studying at home and go to somewhere more distracting like the library where let's be honest is basically a more cleaner, book filled club. However if you have a pet there's a responsibility that keeps you on track. You can't go spend hours on end at the library pretending to study when you have a pet at home that needs to go out or that you've left alone all day. A pet grounds you in a positive way, now that's not saying you can't go out and do fun things but it eliminates the freedom to avoid other responsibilities like studying or cleaning that we all try to dodge.
A pet can be a great segway for meeting other pet owners. If you're not a very social person, getting a dog or cat and taking them to the pet park can be a great way for both you and your pet to get out and meet people. Who knows, you could meet some great people that you never would've met otherwise!
A pet is a great way to de stress after a long day! Imagine this: you have two tests in one day and spent the night before studying and freaking out, you get home to a messy apartment of study guides and empty coffee cups, you're mentally and physically exhausted, but guess whose there ready for you? You're pet doesn't care you're in a grumpy mood, all they know is their persons back and that makes them happy, and what could be better then relaxing on the couch with your pet watching TV after a hard day?
Probably the most important thing though is how much you can care for your pet. Of course you'll love your pet no matter what but you'll notice you go to the store and see treats that you think they'd like or a toy that you know they'd love. It's the small things that really show how much the pet has impacted you as a person and changed the way you view things like the pet aisle of the store or staying out too long.
