Many families and friends grow up having pets. From cats, to dogs, to fish, and frogs, there is a wide variety of pets. When moving off to college, whether it is far or near, having that companion by your side may benefit you.
Many students believe that having a pet in college while living on their own is a lot of work. That is not necessarily the case. It is important for the animal, whether small or large, to have enough space to live. This makes the animal comfortable and easier to take care of.
If you’re feeling sad, animals such as dogs and cats are able to sense your emotions. A lot of college students experience struggles, including mental health issues.
If these feelings happen, oftentimes cats and dogs will feel sympathy and come to comfort you. Another benefit is that when living away from home, you may miss your family and friends. Having a pet to keep you company helps distract those feelings and gives you an animal to spend time with.
The more you spend time with and care for animals, the closer the bond will grow. This is especially important in a college living environment because the animals will enjoy your company.
There is that great feeling when you have been gone all day from work or school and you come home to see your pet. When they jump in your arms or bark or meow, they get excited to play and spend time with you. This creates feelings of serotonin which are in all, wonderful benefits to your health.
If you’re worried about the cost of having a pet, many veterinary clinics offer payment plans and pet insurance that make sure it is affordable.
There are so many positive benefits to having animals in college from stress, to being lonely and more.
If you’re considering adopting an animal, be sure to have a safe environment where they can be happy and healthy.
Liz is a second year Journalism and Mass Communications student who has been Creative Director and News Editor with the Communiqué. She also works at 88.3 KCCK as a Radio News Intern and the Corridor Business Journal as a Reporting Intern. After receiving her associate degree from Kirkwood, she will transfer to the University of Iowa with the 2+2 program. At Iowa, she will continue her journalism passions with the Daily Iowan newspaper and DITV. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree, she plans to work as a Multimedia Journalist and Reporter/News Anchor for KCCI in Des Moines or another station in Iowa.
Categories: Opinion
