If you're anything like me, then your college life has been a constant balance of not sleeping enough and butchering essays at the last minute. Primarily because you find it hard to concentrate when a new episode of "Once Upon a Time" is on or when Netflix has the new season of "Daredevil" available for streaming or when your dogs are begging for your attention. If you live off campus or with your parents, then you might have a little critter or two running around your home. If you love your canines as much as I love mine, then you know how they can get in the way of your college life. I've compiled a list of signs that your dogs are actually trying to sabotage your education.
1. When you come home...
...and your pet is waiting for you at the front door. All you want to do is put down your laptop and textbooks and head straight to your room for your nap. Yet, look at that little pooch wagging its tail and jumping up and down! Just look at its cute face! They missed you so much and now you can't take that five-minute power nap.
2. Time for a walk!
Dogs don't walk themselves! Well, they do, but as their owners, we need to walk them on a leash. My dogs beg to go outside every hour or two. I think it's because they don't want me to write that literary analysis or maybe just because they need to use the restroom.
3. They invade your study space.
Now that you've walked them outside and got settled in to finally start on some work, you think you might have a chance her to actually get an A on an assignment. You start researching and taking notes when suddenly: dog pile! You have one in your lap and another one jumping to reach your height. It's almost like an awkward game of Twister, except you're actually winning for once since your pets can't stay still for five seconds.
4. Play time!
You've written one paragraph, so how much harm could it be if I spent some time with my pups? Besides, they're already fired up and have distracted you from working any further. Throwing around a ball or plush toy shouldn't take up too much time. (Except it ends up taking 30 minutes and you realize you definitely should have started that second paragraph.)
5. Study break = puppy kisses...
You think you might actually have a chance to finish some work. You power through three more paragraphs, read half a chapter from a book, and make a botched attempt at a forum post for your online class. You throw your head back and give a sigh of relief. Next thing you know there's a cold nose pressed against your forehead and a tongue ready for impact – there's no escaping the horror that is puppy kisses.
6. Your dog literally eats your homework.
I can't speak from experience here, but I know someone reading this might be able to relate. Even though most of our assignments are done electronically now, imagine the horror you will feel if your dog ate the essay you spent hours working on. The closest I've ever gotten is my dog chewing at the corner of a textbook while I read from it.
7. Drop out and become a dog trainer.
You're starting to think maybe these dogs need you more than your education does. Maybe they're trying to tell you something? You could earn money by training other people's dogs and be surrounded by animals all day! Then reality hits you and you realize just how unrealistic that is.
Being a dog owner is a day-to-day responsibility. We may just be owners, but we act as their parents. Trying to balance college and a few pets here and there is hard, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Also, I might just be procrastinating and placing the blame on my dogs.
