Furry Scholars: The Impact of Animals on Student Well-being in Higher Education

University life is often not only a time of meeting new friends but also a stressful period for many students. It requires a lot of effort to achieve academic success. In this context, students look for different ways to ease their emotional state and maintain their physical and mental health. One of the possibly unexpected and non-primary but effective ways to help is to have animals in students’ lives. In particular, furry friends who bring joy and peace to the lives of their owners.

Image by freepik

Psychological Influence of Animals on Students

Emotional health and stress reduction

Student life is filled with various challenges. They often cause stressful reactions. Scientific studies confirm that contact with animals can significantly reduce stress levels, regardless of a person’s age. Including students. Interaction with furry friends stimulates the production of endorphins. This leads to a reduction in stress and an improvement in the emotional state of students. Thus, in times of difficult exams and intense studying, having a friend like a cat or a dog by your side can serve as an effective means of relaxation and relieving negative feelings.

Endorphins and mood improvement

Interaction with animals promotes the release of the happy hormone endorphins. This helps to improve your mood, making learning more enjoyable and emotionally fulfilling. Regular interaction with animals helps reduce the risk of depression among students. Relaxed moments of play and animal care can become real therapy. Thus, improving mental well-being and providing students with full-fledged positive emotions.

Pets are like full-fledged family members. Like children, they require care and attention. And they also need careful grooming. That is why it is the responsibility of their owners to actively devote time to all of the above. And yet, not only do they need to learn from lectures but they also need to manage to do their homework diligently. So, it is not surprising that the thought to do your homework with EduBirdie may creep in to get everything done and give enough time to your furry friend. In such cases, homework help will become an invaluable assistant, thanks to which homework for you will be a manageable and, most importantly, simple task. So, your thoughts like who can do my homework so that you have more time to care for your pet will no longer bother you. Instead, you’ll enjoy all the benefits of communicating with your furry friend. And it’s not just about the psycho-emotional state that we’ve already discussed in detail, but also other benefits, which we’ll discuss below.

Promoting Physical Health

Reducing the time spent sitting

Student and academic activities are associated with a sedentary lifestyle. With furry university friends, students have an incentive to get out and about and be physically active. Joint walks and outdoor games with animals make physical activity accessible and fun for students. And it is this kind of activity, physical and outdoors, that has the best effect on physical health in the long run.

Lowering blood pressure

Regular interaction with animals has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system of students. Repeated studies show that playing with animals helps to lower blood pressure. And thus, reduces the risk of heart disease. This is especially true in the face of a heavy academic load and the stressful situations that arise from it.

Image by Freepiks

Promoting Social Activity

Stimulating communication

The presence of animals in universities promotes interaction between students. Meetings of pet owners on campus can be a great chance for casual communication. At the same time, it can be a great way to establish connections between members of the student community and share experiences.

Community organization. Forming friendships

Animals can serve as a unifying element for creating interest groups. Joint walks and activities related to animal care help students develop and maintain important social connections. Moreover, outings and activities often lead to friendships.

Overcoming social isolation

For many students, the period of study can be a time of some social isolation. Especially when new friends have not yet been found. Animals as companions can be an effective way to overcome this isolation. They will be the key to establishing new connections and providing students with additional social support.

Furry scholars in the form of animals can and do play a significant role in improving student well-being. They not only reduce stress and improve mood but also have a full impact on stabilizing the psycho-emotional state. Also, walking and playing outdoors with pets has a direct impact on improving physical health. Walking animals together with classmates will promote social activity. That is why it is important to consider all of the above factors when creating learning environments, providing an atmosphere that promotes the harmonious development of students.

Scott Witter

Researcher on the impact of the modern environment on students’ lives and the challenges they face. Essay writer on the topics of socio-cultural interaction and psychological support for young people. He is interested in studying new facets of personality development in modern conditions.

SHARE ON FACEBOOK SHARE ON TWITTER

About the Author

Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.