Pets –– most of us have them, and most of us have grown up with them. They have became a way of life. Growing up with pets, even if it's just a fish, teaches you responsibility. Even from my first memory of my first pet, Angus, to my most recent memory with my animals I have now, Aerie, Gray-v and Patches. They for the most part have been good. However losing a pet is never fun. Just over five years ago I lost my first dog that I was able to call mine. I remember picking her out, naming her, getting things just for her. It was a hard time. But going off to college is different than that.

When you go off to college, it is like losing a pet but knowing they are still there to greet you when you come home, to love on you and to always be one phone call or facetime away just to talk and see them. But going to college you get these wonderful pets called fish. Long story short, the best bet is a Betta fish; I have had the best luck with those. My freshman year my roommate and I went through a total of 10 fish, to only have two of the three Bettas make it to this day. Some people might have luck with goldfish, but we did not.

You go off to college for your sophmore year and you and your suitemates have started planning to see how many fish/venus fly traps you can keep alive for the entire year. (I hope Bentleigh and Creamsicle make it a whole school year again). When you begin planning this you might be approximately 35 days from moving back in to school. However, no matter how bad you want a cat or a dog on campus at my school you just can't. We can't have them in the dorms. We really want them, but we will just resort to going to my house and my roommates house to see our many animals.

Pets become your very best friend in life. Bettas become your best friend in college.