The MSA webpage states, “It is an intensive 10-month learning experience designed to immerse students into the acquisition of practical knowledge and application of methods and techniques.” They are not joking when they say the experience is intensive. You truly get immersed in the world of data. But it’s essential to remember your life outside the program. A good way for MSA students to destress is to spend time with their pets. It will help remove their minds from work and enjoy the serotonin-inducing bundles of joy.
This post features two furry pals from the Class of 2024. Enjoy the cute pet pictures and reading about how students manage to not only have pets while in the program but excel.
RILEY
This is Riley! She’s 11 months old, and Yang adopted her in August. Yang and his partner found her on PetFinder and thought she was the cutest thing ever. It was love at first sight.
Even as a puppy, Riley is super attentive. As a bonus, she’s a total cuddle bug, too! However, oddly enough, she doesn’t seem that interested in toys. It takes quite a bit of stimulation for her to engage with them. She is very food-motivated, though. She will do anything for a treat.
While owning a pet comes with many responsibilities and requires your time, Yang has felt the time commitment has helped him maintain a better balance in his life. He enjoys the routine that comes with having Riley. For example, it can help him have a set space and time to take a break from programming or doing statistics, especially if he is stuck on a problem.
Aside from the routine and lifestyle Riley helps set, she also provides instant destressing. Yang mentioned that the tactile feeling of petting her helps him relax, and having her snuggle up with him helps him to decompress after a long day at the Institute.
COOPER
Cooper is a super energetic 2-year-old labradoodle from a shelter. He is a total weirdo and loves destroying everything. He is also a big proponent of chewing his toys on people and getting his drool all over you. Cooper likes to lie down on your leg and not let you move until he wants to. He is also obsessed with rabbits and squirrels. However, the motives associated with this infatuation are slightly ambiguous.
Now that Marco is in school, he can’t spend as much time with Cooper as he could before the program started. In fact, Cooper himself lets Marco know that Marco isn’t spending enough time with him. Marco is looking to find a sweet spot where he can have enough time and energy to have long walks with Cooper.
Cooper is a way for Marco to destress on his busiest days. Having Cooper around helps Marco to have a break from studying. He is the perfect excuse for Marco to go outside, walk through Lake Johnson, and listen to music. Cooper is like a little human with lots of personality. At the end of the day, his little quirks and ways of communicating always bring a lot of joy to Marco.
Should I get a pet?
Having a pet is not easy because you will have to be responsible for another being, which will require a lot of time. This becomes a problem when doing something like the Analytics program because the program will take up much of your time. In the end, the joy and the destressing qualities of having a pet are definitely worth the trouble of finding a way to balance your time.
If you are interested, here are some local shelters:
Hope Animal Rescue ((919) 490-2000)
Second Chance Pet Adoptions( (919) 851-8404)
Animal Protection Society of Durham ( (919) 560-0640)
Columnist Jon Lin