Pets of Zoom University: Ruth Big-Girl Guineasburg and Lacy- Two Guinea Pigs, One Terrible Pandemic

Published
Lacy and Ruthie on Rebecca Mesonjnik's desk

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:

Ruthie and Lacy during an NSFP meeting

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. 

Ruthie when I first got her

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. 

Introducing Lacy to the NSFP newsroom