No matter how much they shed, chew up our shoes, or take over the bed; we always look forward to seeing our pets when we go home. Being away from them makes the little less room on the bed worth it when you can finally be reunited. It makes the hole in your tennis shoes alright and that new layer of fur on your pants is worn with pride. The enormous amount of love our pets show us shows that even in our, and their, worst moments; no one will love us more than our pets.
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One of the things they don’t tell you when you come to college is how much you’ll miss your pets. Doing laundry without mom, no problem. Raising your bed without dad, check. Having your fur child greet you after a long day of classes, nope. Thus starts the sadness of not having a constant and loyal friend with you everyday. Though it really puts a damper on your spirits by not having your pets with you at school, there are ways you can manage and still survive without them.
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Have relatives send photos/videos of them
No one will judge you if you only FaceTime a family member to talk to your pet – I do it all the time… even though my dog just walks away.  If your mom tells you that they are doing something funny, have her take a pic and send it to you! Parents not good with cameras? No problem, stock up on photos and videos of your pets before you leave for school.
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Get involved with animal shelters or clubs at school that work with animals!
Check out your school’s Club Showcase and see if they have any organizations or clubs that work directly with animals! It’s a two for one. You get to help out AND play with some loving animals.
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Visit Personal Counseling and see what stress programs they offer
If you are really hitting rock bottom with missing your pet – stop by Personal Counseling and see what they can do to talk you through surviving college without them. Some offices, like Behrend’s, might even have a therapy dog! If your’s does, stop by every once in awhile and say hello and/or pet the dog!
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Find friends with pets/ go to the pet store!
For me, when I’m feeling super stressed out – a quick trip to the pet store to see the puppies always cheers me up.
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Google pictures of cute pets!
When in doubt, go searching for some cute gifs and photos of animals. The internet is FILLED with entertaining dog and cat videos that will leave you with the warm and fuzzies for hours.
While none of these tricks can ever replace your pet,  they sure can help in coping with their absence – even just a little bit. And with that, i’ll leave you with this cute gif of a puppy trying to hug a cat.
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