This is Peppa. She's 20 pounds of pure angst, sass, and soft belly. The first day I took her home she was 4 pounds. She was so small and pure, my heart grew like the Grinch's on Christmas, but having a pet can be a little more complicated than man's best friend.

She whined all through the night for a month straight; it sounded exactly like a baby crying. I had to wear earplugs and take her out every two hours so she could go potty, then bring her back up so that she could whine even more.

Having a pet in college at all is no easy task. Dogs are especially difficult because they're so dependent on their owners.

Be prepared to wake up early. Be prepared to pick up poop, clean pee out of the carpet, and be prepared for the costs of damages your puppy will cause to your apartment if you aren't careful. There were days when my patience was close to cliff-diving, but her sweet little Peppa face always reminded me that it's worth it to have her around.

Also, be prepared to have a new best friend. This animal will depend on you as a protector. It will want to spend as much time with you as possible, so leaving it home alone for prolonged periods of time is not exactly ideal. I leave Peppa home alone a maximum of 4-5 hours at a time. If you have a busy schedule and can't make it back home for 8 hours at a time, it probably just isn't feasible at this moment in your life to adopt a dog.

The feeling of being responsible for Peppa is both amazing and high-stakes at the same time. There are days when I wish she could make my life a little easier, but life without her would be ever-so-boring. She brings me joy and everyone always stops to say hello to her on walks.

Yet despite the challenge, there is nothing more comforting than knowing that your dog is full of love for you.