For this edition of Pets of Zoom University, staff writer and visual editor Rebecca Mesonjnik shares her experience of raising two guinea pigs in the pandemic:

When I was a sophomore in college, I never imagined that a mere year-and-a-half later I would be living through a global pandemic. That feeling-the loss of time we’ll never get back, the sadness of my life being marked by a concrete “before” and “after”- is one I’ll never forget. This past year has been rough for me to say the least. I had to rush to leave the dorm last March when New York was closing down, guinea pig in tow. All in all I moved over ten times throughout the summer until I was able to return to campus last fall. 

For me, the worst part of living through the pandemic has been the uncertainty of my life. Where before I was making a five-year plan, now I just focus on how I’m going to survive a semester. Through it all, one constant in my life has been Ruthie, my guinea pig. She went through everything with me, all the moves, the ups and downs- she was there. She doesn’t say much, but we were in it together. Having another living being to take care of really grounded me when I was feeling especially stressed. I remember listening to people cheering for essential workers at 7pm while I was living in an apartment in Queens, and she was right there in the kitchen, listening with me. 

One small joy I have experienced during this time was the addition of another member to our furry family. Lacy was my second guinea pig, given to me by a friend of a friend in November of 2020. She was so small when I first met her, and watching her grow is a confirmation that time is indeed passing. Even though I was alone for a long time, it was comforting to see that at least Ruthie was making new friends during the pandemic.