Pets. They're our babies and our children, and they mean the world to us! But so does our education, and most of the time, we cannot have both. As a pet mom, it is stressful not being able to see my babies every single day. I text my mom or sister at least twice a day asking how they are doing or if they have any new cute pictures. If I could, I would have them in my bag going class to class!

The thing I worry about the most is that dreaded phone call that informs me they have to be rushed to the vet. My stomach drops, and I instantly feel horrible. I cannot be there for them; all I can do is wait for an updating text or call. What makes it even harder is the fact that one of my babies has a condition; the fear of not being there for them in their last minutes really bothers me.

The worst thing is, when I am having a bad day, I cannot just go pluck them from one of their nap spots and cuddle. I have to get through it, and I never realized how much they helped me until I got to college and didn't have that comfort anymore. I love my babies to death, and not having them around makes it harder.

I have close friends, but they cannot compare to the love I have for my babies. I can dance around my room babbling on for hours and they listen. If they could talk...oh the things they could say. But I am sure the first thing they would say is, "Please SHUT UP!"

I only live an hour and a half away from home, but I don't go home as much as I would like to because I am always busy. It really has been a challenge trying to get through another semester away from them.

If you feel the same as I do, my advice is to load up on pictures when you go home. I call home at least once a day to talk to my family, and I always check on my pets. When I go home, I spoil them like no other! I really just enjoy spending time with them and showing them that I'm not leaving them forever!