by: Hannah Alvarez
First and foremost I want to start this article off with, I do have a pet and it has been a blast, but don’t get me wrong I was in the same spot as you. I was figuring out if owning a pet would be a good thing for me or just a hassle and it was the best decision I have ever made. I have grown up with pets, but my love for my dog is beyond anything else. I am writing this article for you all not to tell you it is going to be easy and you should 100 percent get one, but as a way to teach you and tell you that you are going to be responsible for a living being who needs you.Â
It may seem like common sense, but time commitment is the most important thing to consider before getting a pet. Depending on how busy you are or even what grade you are in, sometimes it is not feasible to take care of a pet, especially if the pet needs to be exercised regularly or needs more attention. This for example is a puppy or a dog that needs constant exercise. This can be difficult for people who are filling their day-to-day lives with classes, clubs, athletics, etc. It may be difficult, but there are people out there, who are busy but are still able to take care of a pet. I am one of those people. I have classes, a job, and clubs and I still take time to take off my dog and give him what he needs and deserves. Honestly, if you are scared you won’t have time, but you want to get one I would consider getting one because you will honestly make the time. I was in this boat just a few months ago. Â
Next up, which may sound a little out there is do you have a car on campus and is your environment a pet-friendly environment? Depending on how big your campus is and how close it is to some essentials for your pet, it may be best if you have a car. This is so you don’t have to walk or take a different form of transportation. I mean you can, but it may be easier if you have your mode of transportation. That way you can go on your own time and don’t have to rely on anybody else. This goes hand-in-hand with your college/university pet-friendly. Sometimes not all schools are pet-friendly, so depending on where you go it is best if you check your school’s policies. If you think you are ready for a pet and the school allows it, what is stopping you? Well, this may be a common theme, but money can be a big deterrent when it comes to adopting a fur baby.Â
We have all heard the saying that money does not grow off of trees and honestly in college this is usually true. Some people just don’t have the money to care for a pet and that is okay. It can be hard to balance making money and school and sometimes not having that money comes with the restrictions of not owning a pet. You may have rent to pay or other bills and I hope you choose to pay off those other bills before getting a pet. I hope you know though that getting a pet does not have to mean getting a dog or cat, because there are other pets you can get that are a little less expensive and don’t require as much attention, like a fish.Â
If I am going to be completely honest with you, these considerations are just a few. There are a couple more to consider, but that is for you to read up on and decide because it has to do with what type of pet you want and what breed and that is the very last step when you are making that choice. I just wanted to highlight the most important things like money, time commitment and is your campus going to allow it which can include transportation.Â
I wanted to end this article with just some words of encouragement that this decision is not an easy one, but just know that whatever you decide it will be the right choice. You, and only you know what is best for you and what you can and cannot handle and I just wanted to say that everything will be okay.    Â