Living in a dorm is the most convenient thing for freshmen, but it comes with a condition that is hard to live with – no pets. And it’s getting to be the time of year again when that condition is on my mind more than usual. It happened around fall break too. It’s been more than a month since I’ve been home, and the refreshed sense of newness and excitement of living on campus is wearing off. Homesickness is starting to creep into the corners of my mind, but it’s not just any kind of homesickness. When it comes to mom, dad and friends, I’m still feeling all right because there are always phones and e-mails to keep us connected. I’m talking about the kind of homesickness that verbal communication can’t fix. I miss my dog. There’s no furry face anxiously awaiting my arrival to jump all over me as if I’ve been gone for years even though I just ran to the grocery store. As corny as it sounds, it makes me feel pretty special. And who isn’t egocentric enough to enjoy and feel they deserve the unconditional love radiating out of pets? It’s just nice. I know I’m not the only one – my roommate and I often discuss how we miss our old pets back home. My dog’s incredible amount of energy that led her to do laps around the house when she got excited seemed adorable when telling my roommate about it again a few nights ago. Even her cat Chevy’s habit of stealing the other pets’ food is downright cute if you miss it enough. We even hatched a plan to smuggle a kitten into our dorm room to help with our ‘pet withdrawal.’ No need to call Residential Life on us though. The kitten plan sounded like a good idea until we considered the smell that would accompany a litter box in our small room. Maybe a fish? Either way, I know a new pet wouldn’t fill the void left by missing your old one. I guess this must just be part of the college experience – out of mom and dad’s house, being more responsible and getting used to missing a few things.
—-Contact Emily McArdle at [email protected]