"Squirrel!!!"

*Photo creds by a friend, Allison Gray* If you want your random photo to be used for my blogs, go on my Facebook page @Kaitlyn Baker and find my pinned post from October 20th and post your picture with no context :))

Since I’ve been at Marshall University, I’ve heard the same few questions asked amongst myself and others. They’ll ask you what your major is, where you’re from, and why you chose Marshall. Usually when people ask where I’m from, I’ll go down the list of where I was born, where I grew up, and where I live now. I was born in Baltimore, Maryland, but grew up in two different small towns in West Virginia. Now I go to college in another small town in WV, and never have I ever seen so many squirrels in one place.

I’ve also never seen so many friendly squirrels around here. I also used to think that all squirrels looked alike as if it was some cross-race effect, but if I were to give each squirrel a name, I could tell each one apart. I would know that “Bob” is the one with no fur on its tail, and that Cindy is the one with extra chunky cheeks who is the most in love with the acorns. I would know that April and Autumn are the ones that are best friends, and that Summer is their third wheel. I would know that when the three of them get together they run to see each other like it’s been years since they’ve seen each other and make eye contact to know when it’s time to sit next to all of the humans on the benches or the ones having picnics on the ground. They communicate when it’s time to lay on someone’s shoulder.

They race each other like no other, and every single squirrel knows just how to brighten up the lives of students and faculty when they get caught up in their busy lives. A lot of people will talk about having dogs or cats as their emotional support animal, but have you ever heard of a squirrel emotional animal? They classify as rodents, but I love them for every part of them. I love them for the left over food they eat from the dumpsters, and I love them for the diseases they carry, because when you’re cute, fast and funny, you sort of forget about all the flaws. I love the squirrels for the beauty they bring to campus and the serotonin they give me on my way to class. I could use a squirrel best friend. Just one, I may ask. But if it’s not too much, I could use me a whole army of squirrels to brighten my day.