An Open Letter to my Pets

Many people have a special pet they have to part with when they go away to college. They are the ones who are always there to listen, love you unconditionally, annoy you sometimes, and most importantly, be your best friend. This is an open letter to my furry four-legged pals. I wrote this in a style where it is directed towards each of my pets. If I tried to write to all of them in one letter, they would get jealous…..I’m looking at you, Max.

Hey, it’s me!

I know I haven’t seen you for a while. You can’t really tell time so you probably don’t understand how long I’ve been gone or if I’m ever coming back. Good news, I am! But not right now. I’m away at school while you’re home keeping mom and/or dad company.

Our FaceTime chats are what I look forward to every week and I cannot stop bragging to my friends about how cute you are. You are the background on my smart phone and I constantly bombard social media with your pictures and talk about how much I miss you!

You are what I look forward to on my travels home. Before I see any of my old friends, I have to see you first. You sleep on my bed and follow me around during the weekends I am home. No one greets me with as much joy, sincerity, and love as you do. Even on days where you get under my skin, like when you chewed up my Marilyn Monroe Halloween wig from seventh grade or fart on my bed while I’m sleeping, I know that you do everything in your existence to make me happy.

Whenever I pass an animal on campus, I get so excited and happy. Then I get hit with a wave of sadness because I miss you so much and I wish you were here. Every time I leave to go back to school, it is a never ending decision on whether to leave you at home or pack you in my suitcase and take you with me. I’m sure my roommates wouldn’t mind having you stay with us.

Speaking of roommates, you might be my favorite. You don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink, play your music too loud, or eat all of my Oreos (or at least I hope you don’t). You love all of the same TV shows as me and you don’t talk during my favorite movies. When we are in the car, you don’t change the radio station or tell me how to drive. But, you do take up a lot of room on my bed and basically push me off. Plus, sometimes you wake me up at 6 a.m. because there is another animal outside walking past our house. Please don’t do that anymore

When I lived at home full time, I loved coming home to you if I had a bad day. I don’t know how you did it, but you always knew when I needed your attention after a bad day. When I’m up here at college, I don’t have that luxury. Yes, I could FaceTime you but it is not the same. My human roommates and I talk about this often. We all have our long-distance pets that we miss dearly

I never took for granted all those times you chewed my Halloween costumes, peed on and ruined my mattress, or threw up in my car. Even though these experiences weren’t exactly pleasant, they were memories spent with you! I will look back on all of the times we had together and cherish them all. That’s what you do with lifelong friends,—you treasure the memories!

Don’t worry. I’m having a ton of fun up here at college. I just wanted to let you know that I’m not forgetting about you! I will call you sometime this week to follow up on what you’ve been doing and which side of the couch is now the comfiest.

I love you very much and I will see you soon!

Love, Rachael (Roo)

P.S. Try and talk Dad into going to Disney World next summer. You’re more persuasive than I am.