I've come to the conclusion that a dog-less life is a sad life. I write this in a cocoon of sadness because no one ever told me that the thing I would miss the most while away at college would be my dog. Not my doting mother or best friend of ten years, just the four-legged Scottish Terrier that hoards all of my socks in his bed and chews anything made of wood.

If you are anything like me, going home for breaks means sprinting past your family when you first arrive just to cuddle with your best friend. Like, totally just avoid your grandma and siblings. Anyone else? Just me? Okay.

After much careful thought and reflection, I realized that there are a few signs of post-leaving-dog-for-college depression that a college student may face while away from home.

When it's time to head back to school a week later, you try to explain to your creature that you will be gone for more than a school day or a night with friends.

All you can see is the saddest face in the world.

How are you going to explain your absence? You can't. He's a dog.

Or when you FaceTime your family, but you really just wanted to see your dog:

Every. single. time.

Minding your own business as you stroll through campus and then you spot a puppy. You are fighting the urge to touch. It's a daily battle.

Did you touch it? No. Did you cry after though? Yes.

When nights used to end like this after long days of playing catch and watching Animal Planet:

Now they just end like this after nights spent studying for like, eight midterms and open heart surgery:

So you find yourself hopelessly searching the following:

(but let's be real- you're a college student withenough money to your name to buy two packs of ramen)

This is my favorite shot of my four-legged angel. Tuggin' at the heart strings.

Alright, I've got to go cry now.