5 Ways to Survive Being Away from your Pet

By Rani Mehta on October 5, 2012

Sometimes one of the toughest things about heading off to college can be leaving behind your furry friend.  Mount Holyoke generally doesn’t allow students to keep puppies in their rooms. However, if you follow the tips in this article, you might be able to make the break from your pet just a little bit easier.

image by houseofduke at flickr.com

1.      Get a fish. 

Aquatic animals (that can be contained in a tank of five gallons or less) are the only kind of pets that Mount Holyoke allows.  It’s not the same as your furry friend, but a fish allows you to be responsible for the care of an animal. You can talk to it after a rough day (if it swims to the right, it’s saying ‘you totally deserved an A+ on that paper’) and watch it swim around.

2.      Get a plant.

If you don’t have the time to care for a sentient being, try getting a plant. They still require care and nurturing, and you can even name them. They’ll brighten up your room, and if you manage not to neglect it, you can take pride as you wash it blossom overtime.

3.      Get a stuffed animal.

If you don’t have the time to care for a living thing, you can always stick with a stuffed animal.  It’s not going to kiss your face if you pet it or curl up next to you, but if you need something soft to cuddle with, it’s there!  If stuffed animals aren’t your thing, you can also go for a pet rock.

4.      Make use of campus wildlife.

When I’m back home, I know I can hear my dog bark at some jogger at 7 in the morning. Now at Mount Holyoke, I can hear Jorge (the campus goose) honking at 7 in the morning. Ah nostalgia.   While I don’t recommend going up and petting squirrels, chances are the animals at your school have personalities of their own.  A recent tumblr, Mount Holyoke Wildlife, photographs the animals that reside at Mount Holyoke.

5.      Keep your eyes open.

In the spring, a Mount Holyoke professor brings bunnies to campus that students can pet and sign out for short intervals of time.  Sometimes there’s just no substitute for getting to hold something that’s soft, furry and living.  Many times South Hadley residents will walk their dogs around campus.  You never want to be rude and bother people, but if you’re polite and ask permission, sometimes they’ll let you pet their dogs too.

While you might no longer be able to keep Fido or Fluffy in your room, students who are feeling Pet-sick have a lot of options.

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