Videos of cats and dogs helping their people have grown more and more popular, or at least that’s what my news feed on Facebook tells me. It doesn’t help that many of my friends and family are animal lovers. Over the summer, I made a very big decision: to get a kitten. I know what you’re thinking: she’s only a sophomore, she just moved off campus, she doesn’t make enough money to care for an animal. Yes, I am only a sophomore. Yes, I did just move off campus and into a house that allows pets. Yes, I didn’t make enough money to care for him in the beginning.
Westley and I the first month I got him. Had to go with a purple bowtie for him for Winona State!
But getting my cat Westley wasn’t the most courageous decision I made that summer. This summer I decided to stay in Winona. Away from my family and friends in Connecticut, away from summers at private beaches and nice restaurants, away from parents that would pay for everything for me. I knew that I would be alone for a majority of my time here. I knew I wouldn’t be able to handle it. I am an introvert so going out is hard for me to overcome. Put me in a new place and I am going to fail miserably or just stand in the corner and not talk.
I don’t suffer from depression or any other sort of mental illness, but this summer made me rethink my mental heath as I became over-stressed. My mental heath was dwindling to nothing and I didn’t think there was anything I could do about it. It got so bad that I was having mental breakdowns at work. My boss even walked in on me hyperventilating and freaking out over something very small because of all of the stress – stress over work, money, loneliness and homesickness. If Westley wasn’t there this summer I would have gone down a dark hole, unable to get out.
Wesley provided the emotional support and stress relief I needed over the summer.
One of my only pick me ups was Westley, the little kitten I adopted when I moved into my house. Every time I walked through the door, there he was meowing and rubbing up against my leg. He stayed by my side through every breakdown I had at home and through every stress eating session. He gave me the warmth and companionship I didn’t know I needed.
Animals are magnificent creatures and a blessing to mankind. WSU has a therapy dog at the IWC for those students who live on campus or can’t afford a therapy animal. WSU also has a policy in place for students that have a therapy animal and need them on campus. This year we have a student who has an emotional support cat living in Lourdes. Animals can really help people that need emotional support, so I encourage students to visit Winston the therapy dog on Wednesdays in the IWC or volunteer at the Humane Society.
