Every morning before high school, I would always say goodbye to my dog Nibbles. Then, typically around 3:30 pm, I would come home, and there she would be. So happy, and excited to see me after a long day of school, and seemingly, school hadn’t been so bad, and hadn’t been so boring. She was always there, and I was always there for her. 

And then I graduated high school. 

Next thing I knew, I was moving to Columbia to go to the University of Missouri- Columbia (Mizzou). For me, I was a little over three hours aways from the small town I had always lived in, and that in itself was a shock to move from a small town with hardly anything to do, to Columbia. At first I didn’t realize how tough it would be to leave my dog, Nibbles, I have had her since she was eight weeks old, and I really struggled not having her. And, from what I was told from my mom, Nibbles was also quite down, and looked for me constantly. However, there were a few things that really helped me

The first was having some little keepsakes. I had some of my favorite photos printed, and even got special frames so I could have them in various places in my dorm room. I had some on my wall, shelf, and a photo on my desk, and they were all various and different photos. 

Having these photos helped me, because I was able to see her, and the memories behind the photos were happy, so they always made me smile. 

Facetime was a life saver

Technology, is amazing. And as such, I was able to facetime my parents, and see Nibbles. They would also send me photos and videos of Nibbles, and could always tell when I was especially missing her, and would send me a few extra pictures. As simple as it is, sometimes being able to actually see your dog is really exciting and can brighten up your day. I always suggest if you are struggling, or are anxious about something to give a call, or even just ask for a quick snap of your beloved pet!

Visiting your pet

And of course, I visited home from time to time. It was great to see my parents, but lets be real, I was mostly there for Nibbles, and they knew it too! Coming home was an even more exciting event, because I couldn’t wait to see my dog go absolutely wild with barking and jumping and the pure joy I’d get to see. And, when my parents would visit, they found pet friendly hotels, and often dorms will allow you to bring a pet for a few hours (of course check with your RA), but my dorm was kind enough to allow family pets to visit for a few hours! 

And of course, the biggest tip I can give, is once your more moved out of the dorms, consider bringing your furry friend with you. It is so worth it, but only if you can handle the responsibilities! However, I truly enjoyed getting to take breaks to walk my dog, take her to dog parks, and overall seeing her always improved my mood! 

Counseling for when you’re struggling

It’s ok to not adjust “the right way” in college, truthfully, I had a really difficult time, and it took months before I finally made friends and felt comfortable. Moving is scary, starting college is scary, and having an entirely new routine can be hard. Aspire Counseling understands this, and understand that oftentimes college is a great way to find yourself, and experience new things. Aspire Counseling works with college students experiencing depression, anxiety, OCD, trauma, stress, life transitions, and so much more. We are LGBTQIA+ affirming, anti-racist, and our counselors are amazing, and genuinely the most kind and caring people you will ever meet! To start counseling today reach out to me at 573-3288 ext. 1, the Client Care Coordinator, or fill out our online form. 

About the Author

Jera Kranawetter is the Client Care Coordinator at Aspire Counseling. She is a recent graduate of University of Missouri- Columbia, and has a passion for helping clients find a great fit, and helping them start counseling. When Jera is not working, she is hanging out with her dog Nibbles, or trying to sneak new plants into her house!