How Can Having a Pet Help you in Graduate School?

Meet Daisy (my first fur child)

And Meet Buddy (the newest addition to my family)

Best Friends

I never realized it until recently how much these two little animals influence me in all aspects of life and school. Especially Buddy,as he is still a baby (8 months old), he requires much more attention than Daisy who is 7 years old. Both owning a dog and being in Graduate school have one major thing in common, they are both a BIG responsibility and commitment that should be carefully thought out.

How have my dogs influenced my life during school:

 Motivation

·         Like clockwork every morning between 5:55 and 6:15 Buddy is up and ready to go. His alarm clock of choice is licking my face and sitting on me! I on the other hand would like to hit the snooze button on my alarm until 6:30 or stay in bed for a while lol. He gives me motivation to get out of bed and start my day off early. Sometimes I will work out, read a chapter of my book for class while eating breakfast, play outside with them, or simply relax before work or school. When the weather is nice this is even more of a motivation for me to exercise, do things outside, take the dogs for a walk, or play with them. They motivate me to get my work done so I can play with them or take a break instead of being stuck inside all day staring at a computer. Most of all, they keep me going and help increase my energy.

Stress Relief 

·         There is no greater feeling that snugging up next to my dogs. They know when I feel stressed and need comfort and are always there smiling at me and wagging their tails. They make the best study/homework buddies and will stay up with me through all hours of the night. As much as Buddy and his new found love for “marking his territory” in my house annoys me lol, I wouldn’t trade having him or daisy for the world. They simply make me happier! Not to mention I sleep 100% better at night having them in bed with me.

     Responsibility

·         I consider myself a very responsible person to begin with however, having two dogs forces me to not just think about myself. I need to make sure they have food, water, get taken out, plan trips accordingly, and so forth. This forces me to be very organized and manage my time more effectively. This is a very valuable skill in graduate school.

        Patience

·         Buddy’s new found behavior of marking his territory is really testing my patience these days. However, both of them have tested my patience on more than one occasion. When we first moved into our house Daisy used to go to the bathroom in our bedroom out of spite. When we first got Buddy, he hated his cage and would cry all night long. Not to mention go to the bathroom in it and wake up 4-5 times a night. They have both taught me to count to 10 and realize it’s okay, there are worse things that could be happening in life.

Owning a dog is not as easy as it sounds especially when you have two. Having any pet is a big responsibility in regards to time, money, and sacrifices that you may have to make. At the end of the day though, they will be a loyal best friend and someone who will love you not matter what each and every day. I am thankful to have my fur babies on this grad school journey with me <3

How have your pets helped you during your graduate school journey?

-Jessica