Animal lovers, unite. Admit it. If you’re anything like me, you have recently spent over an hour on Petfinder looking up the cutest cats and dogs in the Fayetteville area. Animal lovers, unite. Admit it. If you’re anything like me, you have recently spent over an hour on Petfinder looking up the cutest cats and dogs in the Fayetteville area. You may have casually strolled into the animal shelter only to walk out with a new friend and a whole lot of responsibility. Who can blame us? Pets are basically living stuffed animals who want to cuddle and love you 24/7. Not to mention, they make a great addition to your Instagram photos and an even greater addition to your family.
Despite all the fuzzy feelings that come with owning a pet, people need to realize they are a huge responsibility. Owning a pet is no small task and a lot of students forget that. I know three people who’ve had to give away their beloved furry friend because of money, time management or, worse, an angry parent. Here are some questions you need to ask yourself before buying a pet.
If I can’t even get up for my 9:30 a.m. class every other day, can I get up even earlier to walk my dog? I mean, really, people. The answer is obvious. Who doesn’t love having a cat paw at their face at the crack of dawn each morning or hear it meowing for hours on end until you give it attention and want to rip your ears off. Make sure you’re willing to sacrifice some extra sleep time in order to make sure your pet is happy!
Will I have the time to train and take care of it? There’s nothing like coming home to a puppy who completely destroyed everything in sight (paired with a really, really angry landlord). It takes about two to three months to fully train a puppy, so make sure you’re committed before you take on this challenge. If you’re willing to take it on, make sure you schedule your class and work hours accordingly so you can be there for your new friend.
Can I afford it? Do you eat Ramen for dinner on the daily? Do you shamefully make a trip to the nearest Coinstar every so often? Do you stretch $15 in ways you never thought possible? If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, don’t get a pet. Vet costs alone can be $100 dollars on top of food, grooming and other supplies. The expenses can add up fast.
Do I have enough space for a pet? Puppies and kittens, as we are well aware by now, have a lot of energy. Make sure they have enough room in your apartment or home to be comfortable. Research the local dog parks nearby and try to find some trails to walk your dog. They need exercise just as much as you do.
What about life after college? Having a pet isn’t a temporary thing. Dogs and cats will, most likely, be a constant in your life for the next 15 years, so make sure that you will have a lifestyle that accommodates your pet. After all, they deserve it just as much as you do!
Despite all the difficulties and challenges that come with being a pet owner, there really are some great experiences that also come with come having a pet. There’s no better feeling than coming home after failing a test and having someone who loves you unconditionally when you cry. You have a built in friend no matter what. They’ll never date your ex-boyfriend and never stab you in the back.
So the next time you walk into a shelter, make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into before you make the decision of a lifetime!
Welcome back
Sign in to comment to your favorite stories, participate in your community and interact with your friends
or
LOG IN WITH FACEBOOKNo account? Create one
Recommended for you
Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Subscribe to our
Newsletter
The Odyssey
Tiana would no doubt be disappointed in the food our cafeteria has to offer.
And hopefully she would cook for everyone in her dorm.
She definitley would not take any 8:00 am classes because she would be up late baking and cleaning up the communal kitchen that are available in every dorm.
Belle would most likely be a tutor in the Student Success Center, helping other students with their homework.
And she would probably be one of the few students that actually know the Library's hours.
Mulan would definitley be an RA. She would stay up with students and give them advice and remind them to follow their hearts.
Ariel would no doubt take advantage of Atchison's YMCA, where all Benedictine students can swim for free.
She would also be the only person brave enough to go near the Missouri river. Even, after all jokes about how the fish living in it are mutants.
Merida would start an intramural archery team.
And she would not be afraid to ride her horse through Jackson Park, no matter how many people say it is haunted.
Jasmine would be pretty annoyed to find out that BC students are only allowed to have fish, not tigers.
Anna and Elsa would want to help organize BC's traditional Little Sibling Weekend.
And they would dominate in the annual lip sync battle.
Rapunzel's energy and creativity would be put to good use in the admissions office and giving tours to prospective students.
She would also help with Soar, the weekend that incoming freshmen come visit the school, meet other new students, sleep in the dorms, and receive their fall schedules.
She would also be a ROC leader. ROC week is the first week for freshmen, transfers, and international students. They spend this week taking tours, having their questions answered, doing fun activities, and bonding with their classmates. ROC leaders have to be interviewed, put through training, and they need to be awake and energetic first thing in the morning.
Odds are Pocahontas would be on the track team.
She would also enjoy the nature that surrounds the BC campus, such as the famous "lookout". It is often visited by couples but it is a beautiful spot that overlooks the Missouri River.
The BC theater department would benefit from Cinderella's (and her animal friends') ability to sew and make clothes in a timely manner.
And I'm sure everyone would want to be her roommate, due to her ability to clean.
Snow White would never miss one of the Benedictine swing dancing events.
And she would probably volunteer to bake and cook for events such as Oktoberfest and Mardi Gras.
Giselle would participate in every on campus event that she could.
And she would definitely be at every sporting event cheering on the Ravens.
Even though she is not technically a princess, Charlotte La Bouff would be voted for homecoming royalty because of her energetic personality.Plus she would probably write encouraging and heartfelt articles for the BC paper, The Circuit.
And she would probably share her clothes and help the girls in her dorm get ready for events and formals.
Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting
The Struggles of Being A Last Semester Senior, As Told By Michael Scott
25 reasons your last semester in college is the best and worst time of your life
16h
951
The day you walked onto your school's campus for the first time you were scared, excited, and unsure of how the next four years of your life were going to turn out. You doubted it would go fast and even though you weren't positive about what your future plans would hold, you had plenty of time. You figured out your major, added a minor or two, joined a handful of organizations and all of the sudden you're here. Your final semester of undergrad. Now you've got 25 problems and graduation is only one.
1. You get the email notifying you that you have to register for graduation. Instant denial.
2. But then you realize you only have to take one serious class this semester to graduate.
3. This is great. You've finally made it. You're in the final stretch of your undergraduate career.
4. You decided that "Netflix and Chill" is your new mantra and everyone else should follow your example.
5. Then you remember you actually have to figure out what you're going to do with the degree you've been working towards for the last 4+ years. The dilemma of going to grad school or choosing a career begins.
6. You know you want to do something you're passionate about. Or nothing, nothing sounds good too.
7. As you procrastinate on making a decision, you look at your FAFSA account and see how much money you actually owe the government.
8. You start looking into every job you can find because you're responsible. Great.
9. Every job you find expects you to have 3-5 years of experience or a Master's which makes you feel like a helpless child.
10. And even when you do fulfill the requirements and send in your application, no one seems to want you which is crazy because you're awesome.
11. And there's that one friend that seemed to have a job before senior year even started. You kind of hate them right now.
12. You've sent in 20 applications and no...wait, holy crap, you got your first interview.
13. So you go in with a big smile on your face and fake it till you make it. And do it over and over again until it actually works.
14. Finally: YOU GOT A JOB!
15. Now nothing is holding you back. You can officially give zero shits.
16. Your underclassmen friends seem to believe you are a wise sensei that understands all there is to know about college. So you let them.
17. You start to cling even more to your best friends because you realize the luxury of having them only five minutes away is going to end soon.
18. You drag them to every Margarita Monday and Thirsty Thursday because your drunken escapades together are also numbered.
19. Essentially, you want this semester to be as wild and crazy as possible because it might help you at least act like a civilized human after graduation. In all honesty, it probably won't.
20. The power to stop time would be awesome because you're not actually ready for any real responsibilities.
21. However, the thought of going through midterms and finals one more time has you officially ready for your freedom.
22. You're also looking forward to never seeing that one-night-stand-gone-wrong, the know-it-all from your Spanish class, or your roommate from hell ever again.
23. You really know that the good memories outweighed the bad. College was freaking awesome and it's going to suck when it's over.
24. Ready or not, there are only five months left before you have to leave.
25. Yep, this is terrifying.
Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life
Syllabus Week At UD Explained By "The Office"
"The Office" understands the struggle of the first week back from winter break.
17h
822
January 19th is the first day of the second semester at the University of Dayton, and students couldn't be more excited. However, the excitement that students are experiencing may be short-lived once they see what this semester's courses will entail. Although students will be happy to be back at Dayton, they may realize this semester will be more difficult than they predicted. Here are some things that happen during syllabus week explained by " The Office."
1. Waking up for your first 9:00 a.m. class of the semester.
2. When you remember you have to walk in the freezing cold to your classes.
3. Feeling overly confident in your academic abilities on the first day of classes.
4. Walking into your first class and seeing friends from your major.
5. That moment when you open the syllabus packet to see what possible pain lies ahead.
6. You resent the professors that keep you for the whole class time on the first day.
7. When professors tell you too much about their personal lives on the first day of class.
8. When your professor tries to explain the benchmark assignment to the class.
9. Finding out the final exam in a class will be comprehensive.
10. When you're done with classes for the day and you finally get to take a nap.
11. Finding out a required textbook is out of stock at the bookstore.
12. When you're broke after buying your textbooks for the semester.
13. When you realize that you really need to start getting PATH points...
14. Impatiently waiting for all of your classes to be up on Isidore.
14. The realization that this semester will be harder than you anticipated...
15. Getting overly excited for going out on the first weekend back from break.
Welcome back, Flyers!
Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment
Your Friend Group, As Told By Disney Princesses
Each Disney Princess has their own personality, and chances are you've got a friend in your group to match it.
18h
1284
The dynamics of any friend group are usually determined by the personalities which make it up. Chances are, while personalities may overlap, each person in your friend group holds his or her own place. It is the differences which bring the groups together and keep them functioning. No matter how functionally dysfunctional your friend group may be, if you're anything like me, you feel absolutely blessed to have found such a wonderful group of humans to call "your people." Here is what your friend group might look like if they were Disney princesses (and that wasn't just a thing you all pretended in your heads):
Cinderella, “The Clean Freak”
Much like Cinderella, this is the friend who goes around cleaning all the time. It is just who she is, and there isn’t much she can do to stop it. There are times this friend will go and find things which maybe aren’t even dirty and clean them anyway. She also really loves animals, and on many occasions you’ll find her befriending (Read: talking to them like they understand) various animals at parties whether it be a cat, dog, guinea pig…
Snow White, “The Friendly One”
Ever thought about how similar this friend is to Snow White who befriends seven dwarves? Similar to Snow White, who has no problem befriending seven tiny men, this friend makes friends essentially everywhere she goes. Even at a party, where you don’t know anyone, she isn’t worried because by the end of the night you’ll know everyone, and probably have brunch plans set up for the next week with all your new friends.
Belle, “The Studious One”
This is the person in your friend group who has her stuff together academically all the time. She has no idea what it is like to spend a night cramming for a test, or finishing an essay, because she has had it done for a week by that point. She is the friend who texts in the group chat to make sure everyone knows when major events, such as registration, are coming up. Her second home is probably the library, and in reality you’ll probably find her there more than you’ll ever find her at her real home.
Mulan, “The Fighter”
This girl, much like Mulan, is adventurous. Not only is she adventurous though, she is extremely determined and strong-willed. She knows exactly what she wants, and she goes for it. There is no telling her “no you can’t do that” in fact, if you tell her she can’t do something it is almost guaranteed she will (and she’ll probably do it better than you ever expected).
Pocahontas, “The Peace Keeper”
This is the girl in your friend group who doesn’t like to see conflicts arise. Though often she understands they are inevitable, and a part of life. She will do anything to make sure the conflict is resolved in the quickest time possible or maybe just that it doesn’t even happen in the first place.
Sleeping Beauty, “The Sleepy One”
This is the friend who is basically like a professional at sleeping. She’s the type where it is three in the afternoon, everyone in your group chat has been conversing for hours, and you wonder where she is, thinking something might be wrong…but really she’s just been sleeping the whole time. If there was ever an award given for “best at sleeping” she would win every time. Hands down.
Rapunzel, “The Sheltered One”
Okay, so maybe this friend isn’t as sheltered as Rapunzel, but I mean come on, who is? (She spends the first eighteen years of her life in a freakin' tower). This friend is the equivalent of “Rapunzel sheltered” in the real world; she’s the friend who constantly needs an explanation of what something means, or who someone is. Sometimes you find yourself having to show her the way. However, she is also extremely adventurous and curious. Though she is slightly naïve, you don’t mind having to explain things to her because you love her all the same.
Tiana, “The Independent One”
This is the friend, who much like Tiana, can handle herself all on her own. While she doesn’t mind help, or company, she also is completely okay with being on her own. She is happy to be part of the group, but doesn’t always need to be with the group to identify as a part of it.
Ariel, “The One Who Is Shy Around Men”
This one is kind of self explanatory. We all know the story of Ariel, and how she loses her voice for the chance to walk on land and meet her prince. Similarly, though I hope none of your friends are trading their legs for mermaid tails, your friend is like Ariel because when she’s around a cute guy her voice is literally non-existent. She is shy, but once you get to know her it is almost impossible to get her to stop talking.
Elsa, “The Mom”
Also a rather self explanatory one … every friend group has the mom of the group. Similar to Elsa, everything this girl does is calculated. She is the one stopping other friends from making questionable decisions and, like a mom, finds herself taking care of the girls in your friend group like they are her actual children. Shout out to the moms of the friend groups though, you guys are the reason your friends don’t end up places they don’t belong at four am.
Anna, “The Impulsive One”
Every friend group has an Anna, or if you’re friend group is like mine you’ve got multiple…This is the friend who is ready for anything- all the time. She usually doesn’t think too much about the decision she is making prior to making it. She is lots of fun and the life of any party, but sometimes needs to be reminded that you can’t marry a man you just met.
Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life
8 Ways College Is Designed To Be The Best Four Years Of Your Life
Say yes to new adventures!
18h
395
Tumblr
College is a place where you spend four years exploring opportunities you never knew were there, creating the person you are, and making life-long friends. College is hard, but it is worth spending four years there. Just because college is difficult doesn't mean that it's not fun. There are plenty of great memories you can make during your four years if college. Here are ways college is designed to be the best four years of your life:
It's full of opportunities to learn more things.
There are more opportunities out there than you think.
It's one of the easiest times to make friends.
Photo by Duy Pham on UnsplashSince you and your friends are all in the same position of being college students, it brings you all together.
It helps you learn how to think critically.
College teaches you how to think critically in your classes, your career, and life.
You get to focus on what you want to study.
It's great to focus on your desired major.
Class is minutes away from your dorm.
Unless you sleep in.
. . . and the library
Better place to study than the dorms.
You won't be judged for going to class in your PJ's
No thanks, I'm comfortable in sweats.
You will truly create yourself.
Why discover yourself when you have plenty of opportunities to create who you want to be?
Keep Reading...Show less
Trending Topics
Songs About Being 17
Grey's Anatomy Quotes
Vine Quotes
4 Leaf Clover
Self Respect
Top Creators
1. Brittany Morgan, National Writer's Society
2. Radhi, SUNY Stony Brook
3. Kristen Haddox, Penn State University
4. Jennifer Kustanovich, SUNY Stony Brook
5. Clare Regelbrugge, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
