I'm writing this article while a 12-week-old Siamese kitten sleeps in my lap. His name is Seiko, and he is the kitten who lives in my dorm. My university allows emotional support animals, and I can tell you, it's the best thing ever. You think having a cat at home is fun? Try having one during college.

There is nothing better than coming home to the love of a cat after a long day (not even Netflix—but I admit that it comes pretty close). This is especially true when that day was filled with seemingly never-ending classes. Man, most days, I could eat a whole tub of mint-chocolate-chip ice cream with how much stress I rack up. And don't even get me started on exams. It's no surprise that I spend approximately 85 percent of my classes thinking about when I'll get to go back to the dorm and cuddle with that little ball of fluff. My last class is dismissed. I make the trek back, unlock the door, dropping my backpack with a satisfying thud, and head to my roommate's bedroom, where we put Seiko when we're out. He often sleeps on the bed when we aren't there, but when I open that door, he slowly opens his eyes and looks at me, squeaking as he stretches. I climb up there with him, and he purrs and settles on my chest or stomach. Or looks up at me with those bright blue eyes of his, and gives my nose a lick. How's that for a stress reliever?

Studying has never been more relaxing. Sure, I still dread it, and I'll be the first to admit that my major might as well be Procrastination instead of nursing, but with a kitten by my side, it's not so bad. His warm little presence is like a silent encouragement, as well as a reason to not get up and do something else besides keep reading about how Robert Hooke did this and that for the furthering of the wonderful field of microbiology.

Nothing draws attention like a kitten. I've never been one to stand out, and and as an introvert, that's not something I've ever particularly minded. But there's a word that will catch the ear of people close by faster than anything, and that word is "cat." As the cat owner I am (though my roommate is very quick to constantly remind me and literally everyone else, "it's MY cat"), it's natural for me to talk about the daily adventures that transpire in my dormitory, to relay all the crazy things that Seiko does. Several times now, I'll be out with a friend, telling such a story, and someone I've never seen before will say "did you say you have a cat in your dorm?" and before I know it I'm telling them all about Seiko. In a way, having a kitten has helped this people-wary wallflower branch out a bit.

While having a cat is great, it's not always all fun and games. Well, in Seiko's mischievous eyes, it certainly is. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to get any work done with a kitten running around, wanting nonstop attention? I do. Oh, how I do. Imagine you're typing up that research paper you've put off until the last minute (or maybe you're getting started on it early, in which case, congratulations for being better at adulting than me), and suddenly your screen is filled with "qwertytyuuuiiioopp[[[[[[[]]\\\\\\\" times infinity. What just happened? A cat walked across your keyboard, decided it was a good place for a nap, and plopped down. Did you know that kittens think laptops taste good? Well they do. Honestly, kittens think anything and everything tastes good. The most common phrase around our dorm has become "Seiko, what is in your mouth?" In addition, turning assignments in can be a bit challenging when the saying "the dog ate my homework" becomes "the cat ate my homework" and actually applies.

Between Seiko biting our feet every time we try to walk around, chewing on all the cords, and stealing our food, having a cat in the dorm makes the college experience a little less stressful, a lot more crazy, and so much better.

(Also we don't have socks anymore because Seiko has stolen them all and hidden them.)