This year has definitely been a bit different than my first two years at college. I moved in to my first apartment with three other roommates and a puppy! Sure, having three other roommates instead of one has been a huge difference as well as having to cook for myself, but the puppy, that’s another story.

I love the puppy with all my heart and she is the sweetest thing, but she can be quite the terror. I thought it would be all butterflies and unicorns, but it isn’t. The dog isn’t mine, so I figured I wouldn’t have to do a whole lot of caring for her and having to deal with her craziness, but I have. I’ve had to take her out to the bathroom, feed her, and give up going out with friends because I am the only one in the apartment to take care of her. Sure, for her owner, as well as the rest of us, it has been hard balancing the dog and our classes and all of our activities, but I don’t think we’d change it for the world.

We’re learning some valuable lessons in life from this little crazy puppy! Nova has taught us how to balance our class work and take care of her at the same time. She gets let out every couple of hours in between all of our classes and we try to play with her at this time too. She’s also taught us a lesson in forgiveness. Yes, we need to be mad at her after she has an accident or gets in to something and chews it up, but she still ends up wanting cuddles and to be pet. She taught us that even though someone may be mad at you, kindness cures all. She’s taught us how to laugh at the stupidest of things and to just enjoy laughing at her charismatic self. She’s taught us that we need to be excited to eat every day, but to not scarf it down as quickly as she does. She’s taught us that when the going gets tough and you need a hug, she’s there to help.

Nova is full of life and I swear I’ve caught her smiling here and there as she chews on a rawhide or her mom’s Birkenstock! She can be the most obnoxious thing in the world when she does something wrong, but I have never regretted choosing to live with my roommates and Nova. Nova, you’re going to be the best service dog an apartment full of anxious and stressed out girls could ask for! We love you<3