We’ve all been there. We spend hours upon hours with eyes glued to a computer screen filled with squares of human beings. Many are visibly tired. Some are forcing a smile. Others have their cameras turned off, only represented by a grey screen with a name. Then suddenly, we are graced with the unexpected attendance of an adorable, non-human creature. The day becomes a little bit better and brighter.
Who can hold back a grin or chuckle when a curious cat or nosy dog inserts itself into our virtual classes? The furry, sometimes scaly friends of our Zoom peers have given New School students and professors a reason to authentically smile in a virtual and disconnected world.
The New School Free Press spoke with New Schoolers and their beloved pets. Here are their stories.
Gaby and Dahlia
Gaby De Gracia and her cat, Dahlia, are currently living with her aunt in New Jersey. De Gracia, a third-year Journalism + Design student at Lang, said she had been flirting with the idea of getting a cat for a long time. When the pandemic hit, De Gracia noticed many people had adopted pets, which led her to think, “Well, why not just get a cat?” So in May, De Gracia did just that and adopted Dahlia, a domestic shorthair believed to be a mix between a tabby and calico.
De Gracia said she actually intended to adopt a black cat because they are adopted less frequently than other types of cats. “I had my mind set on it,” De Gracia said. “I wasn’t planning on getting her specifically, but she kind of chose me. She came up to me and made me rub her belly.”
De Gracia shared that she has bonded with a professor who also has a cat. Both Dahlia and the professor’s feline friends sometimes appear on screen during class, and De Gracia’s classmates and professor would exchange hellos to the cats.“A brief acknowledgement, but it’s kinda nice,” she said.
Dahlia can be distracting during class, De Gracia said, but added that she“probably would have been a lot less sane” if Dahlia was not there to keep her grounded.
“I’m really grateful for her,” De Gracia said. “And she’s like my best friend.”