By Kayla Del
Staff Writer
As college students move into their dorm rooms, it can be challenging to develop a homey atmosphere amid the blank walls and standard furniture. By displaying photos of loved ones and filling the room with their personal style, students look to create a comfortable space that makes the adjustment to a new environment easier.
For some students, solace has also been found in new companions: their pets. From Cleo the guinea pig to Dinner the hamster, students at the College have turned to furry friends who offer a comforting reminder of home and a source of joy and connection.
Students such as Darby Penven, a sophomore early childhood education and English major, welcome animals into their dorm rooms to fill the void left by the familiar companionship of their pets back at home.
“My roommate, my friends and I honestly just did it on a whim,” Penven explained. “We had been talking about it for about a week since I mentioned how many pets I have at home and how boring it can be without a pet, so we just decided to get a hamster.”
Since Penven and her two friends decided to adopt Dinner the hamster in September 2022, they have strengthened their social life and sense of community at the College, even creating an Instagram account chronicling Dinner’s adventures.
“A lot of people want to meet him, which gives us so many more opportunities to connect with other students,” Penven said.
When it comes to building new relationships and friendships on campus, pets can be a great icebreaker. By introducing their furry friends to others, students can create a common bond and shared interest that provides an easy conversation starter and a way to ease any tension that may come with meeting new people.
Natalia Revill, a sophomore psychology major, shared the same sentiment as she reminisced on the community her guinea pig, Cleo, helped her build during her freshman year.
“I feel like having Cleo on my freshman year floor brought everyone together,” Revill said. “I have pictures of her with all of my neighbors, and sometimes they would stop by to hang out with her and say ‘hello.’ Cleo loves to be cuddled and petted, so everyone wanted to hold her.”
Having a pet can improve one's mental health by easing the symptoms of depression and anxiety, reducing stress and also lessening feelings of loneliness. For college students who live in such close quarters, the presence of a pet in residence halls can bring joy and comfort not only to the owner but also to their friends and peers.
“Cleo definitely has a positive impact on my mental health,” Revill said. “I know she has a positive effect on other peoples’ mental health as well. My friends will sometimes come to my room just to see her because she makes them smile. She makes everyone so happy and helps distract from the pressures of college.”
Penven also discussed the positive impact that her pet has had on her friends’ health as well as her own. After a long day, she finds solace and something to look forward to in knowing that she has a furry friend waiting for her at home.
“It may not seem like such a small animal could have such an impact on my life, but there have been some very stressful days where I am burnt out or upset from classes, and I will go back to my dorm to play with Dinner to relieve stress,” Penven said. “Since we have gotten him, many of our friends or fellow residents of our hall will ask to see him if they are feeling down or stressed.”
While having a pet can be a fun and rewarding experience, it also comes with a set of responsibilities that can be challenging to manage on top of maintaining a rich academic and social life.
As college student pet owners, Penven and Revill both face similar challenges such as the hamster noisily staying awake all night, coordinating the logistics of taking the pets home during breaks and finding space for a proper cage in small dorm rooms.
“An overlooked difficulty is finding humane cages,” Penven said. “Many of the smaller cages they sell at pet stores are not big enough for any animal, especially not a hamster who is very active and loves to play. The cage we have now is a good size and fits well in our dorm room, but we physically would not have the space for a cage any larger.”
While being a pet owner in a college residence hall is not without its obstacles, these students find that the benefits far outweigh any difficulties.
With the proper care, animals living in college residence halls can lead fulfilling lives as they become beloved members of a community, providing and receiving affection and happiness.
