Wednesday, ( AGGIELIFE Wednesday, March 1,2CKX) THE BATTALION Page 3 [RIE VIEW Continued from an earthquake. All 1 retj ring llhs tliud and sayingie: n still here, I’m still here." accident occurred shortlytd m State Highway 43tv/oj f Kamack, about 150 miles is. The team was on its to Pine Bluff, Ark. eliminary Texas Departna lafety report found speed* en a factor on the two-lanes hat when the van cameupo ehicle preparing tomakeal e van veered to the right o[| r. then turned and flipped! orrected to the left, viously, on the heels ol a victory such as this is deli ic four young people wel ;ity Vice President Lanyl the team’s weekend trim y is always sweet, 1 .• entire occasion has caused! omber mood. It’s almost! lyer in church and everyonei ' We are all verv solemn. ESS Brecikinq up is hard to do Continuedfrom ate, hopefully offeringextrasl bar or a even a dry cleaners, ■n asked by a student in the about the congestionai would create, she said that in traffic patterns wi ly increase the congestion! e area when parking capat ased by more than 2,000ci s important to remember! ommendations that are ire just that — recommei indent groups have tobei art of the programs that* ented.” :e in nuclear engineei a charter member o f tli \&M Symphonic Barii olaying clarinet, oboe,? ane. ( dent Senate iddresses fee iral bills concerning fee 5 for the student body® d on at Wednesday's S! enate meeting. Two tit ;o concerning fee incres be read for the first tin the Student Senate, Oi nils calls for the Board s not to broaden thede if the Computer Acces changing the name ter Access and Instfi echnology fee. second bill approves ■ease in the Internationi t Fee, the University^ 1 d Tuition and the :cess Fee. WITH OTHER IN THE MSCP >irector of ming!! cultural &. diversity : MSC iting relationships ganizations 3er of council n for multicultural :aci Jennifer 5-1515 lass island in e March 1, 2000 Students cope with leaving pets behind GABBY RUENES/Tm; Battalion BY JULIA RECINDUS The Battalion M an’s best friend has been by his side for thousands of years, and it is only natur al for man to want to be by the side of his or her pets as well. It is the companionship each craves from the other and the unconditional love that pours forth without judgement. Love and faithfulness is shown on both sides by a pat on the head or ruffling of fur, a lick on the hand or a nudge against the leg. No matter how rough a day we have had or how bad a grade we have received, students’ furry loved ones will greet them with tongues and tails wagging. So it may come as no surprise that when a pet and owner are separated, an absence is felt on both sides. This can be especially difficult for a stu dent going away to college and that student’s pet. The pet sees its owner pack up and walk out the door, not to come back for months at a time. The person is without the comfort and stability of their lifelong friend in a new environment. It is not uncommon for one or both parties to experience intense feelings of bereavement, and in some cases, anxiety. Erin Vindrik. a freshman general studies ma jor, has a German Shepard, Cheyenne; and three cats. Nixie, Misty and Frasier. She has had all of them for many years and says she views them as members of her family. “They’re like my brother and sisters. I love Cheyenne a million times more than I love my brother,” she said. Vindrik has not been able to make it home very often because of the distance and said she misses her pets very much. She keeps a picture of Cheyenne above her desk so she can see him. When some students lived at home, it was sometimes a burden to care constantly for their pet, such as feeding and bathing and walking it. “Whenever I see someone walking their dog, I get really sad. When 1 go home, I walk my dog in the morning and at night. Now I don’t mind at all,” Vindrik said. Aimee Campos, a freshman general studies major, knows how difficult it can be for herself and her pets when they are apart. She has two cats, Cleo and Trouble, and a dog, Sassy. When she gets to go home, she says she starts to get very excited because she knows she will get to see “her babies,” and they never fail to greet her at the door every time. “I love Cheyenne [my dog] a million times more than I love by brother/' — Erin Vindrik Freshman general studies major “When I have to come back, it’s really sad, be cause I have to say my goodbyes, and they don’t understand and they get all upset. Usually when I’m there for a long time, like a week, they get re ally mad because they see my suitcase, and they know I’m going back, so they start giving me the silent treatment. It’s hard to leave,” Campos'said. One of the most difficult situations faced by a college student who is living away from their pet, is the possibility of their pet’s death. Campos re cently experienced this herself. Her dog Duchess passed away this January, as a result of an accident that occurred when Duchess was a puppy that left Duchess with a punctured lung and poor health, and she devel oped arthritis in her older age. “A few weeks ago, my mom called and said she [Duchess] had died, and that was really hard because 1 wasn’t there, and I didn’t really get to say goodbye. 1 had to wait two weeks before I could go home,” Campos said. She said that she will never forget how Duchess loved everybody and how her beloved pet never failed to cheer her up. “They don’t look at you how people look at you; they love you because you love them, and it’s hard to part with them because the connection is so strong,” Campos said. n Chief ay during the fall and springsem# holidays and exam periods) at leiC iTMASTER: Send address :ation,IX 77843-1111. A&M University in the eed McDonald Building. NewsroonT http://battalion.tamu.edii idorsement by The Battalion. Forc^ : ertising, call 845-0569. Advertising' ry through Friday. Fax: 845-2678. iM student to pick up a single# 10 per school year, $30 for the falo’^ rtasterCard, Discover, or American^ AGS! ft 4) •H g (V 10 Did you know.. THE MAJORITY OF ACCIEf DRINK ? OR FEWER DRINK9 PER WEEK Bogies A Data from June, 1998 CORE survey on a random sample of 861 students . «»it»Kisrttv; < V T It I V |-M# M »** «. •* ' http://srulifc.tainu.edu/adep Touchstone Pictures Scorc 3IG w4 Omf^bytes com. It's my Web. Sweepstakes m 111 1111 . • psi&ie+tti a COMPLIMENTARY ADVANCE SCREENING Wednesday; March 8 : J I aha (Lpa+idosiecfi b- Let Hi y * vij MIS 5111 dus The world’s largest campus job lair MARS For centuries wo ve been looking lor the ongtn of life on earth. We ve been looking on the wrong planet TOUOtSTI* PICTURES .JK*WCIWW*r» .Kitt DtPAUH-a QttTSUlISE 'NISSlJi TO WS” OCHOlEADU d»IE UELSO JEMrO’COHei URDUMEUTU tCSBIHSr .^mBMIORHUUCOK WTER MIS ME!* JiRblDU MUM HITS «. HG'I TEMW • JCM EWa