College Roomies Get Together to Say Goodbye to Furriest Member: 'Sobbing'

Wrapping up your final year at college is hard enough, between the unknowns waiting for you in the real world and parting with your best friends. But one group of roommates had an extra-emotional goodbye to make to a furry mate, which struck a chord with social media viewers.

Julia Pytlik told Newsweek via TikTok that she and her roommates wanted to have a cat last year, but since they were living in a sorority house, they weren't allowed to own one. Luck was on their side when someone gave away a cat for free.

Binx came into the roommates' lives during their senior year. Before adopting him, Pytlik said, they discussed who would keep Binx after the year ended, and the girl group came together to raise the cat. In return, he gave them endless cuddles and mood boosts.

As the semester ended and the girls moved out, the inevitable arrived: saying goodbye to Binx. User @julia.pytlik shared the emotional parting with Binx in a May 6 TikTok video as one by one Binx was passed around to his co-parents. The caption reads: "Binx is going to be so missed."

The tear-filled goodbye quickly went viral on TikTok, reaching over 2 million views, 291,800 likes and 889 comments so far.

"I love how everyone's crying, that cat is so loved," commented one viewer.

A second person shared a similar experience: "This was me and my roommate and her cat last year. We now schedule meet-ups and we get to see her kitty still."

Someone else wrote: "I am SOBBING the way this cat loves every single one of them and they're all just bawling."

Another added: "Oh, how that sweet kitty was/is serotonin for these girlies in their lowest moments and in their happiest. I bet kitty probably snuggled away tears."

Pet Ownership in College

While most colleges and universities do not allow students to have pets on campus, plenty decide to become pet owners when living outside of the dorms. It's a big responsibility to balance with schoolwork, but if students can handle it, there are plenty of benefits to having a furry friend in college.

Education and learning company Pearson points out the five ways owning a pet in college can benefit students. For starters, pets can provide emotional support, helping to reduce anxiety, depression and stress levels. Studies have shown that pets have a positive impact on mental health.

Going away to college might be the first time students live alone and set and follow their own schedule. It can be a whirlwind trying to nail down time management, but, surprisingly, owning a pet can help students develop a sense of responsibility and accountability. They will need to manage their time and stay on top of feeding, grooming and taking care of the pet.

Students with pets might be able to better connect with others, which leads to more social interaction. This is especially important for those who are shy or introverted. Owning a pet also means more physical activity, as students will be responsible for taking a dog on a walk or playing with a cat.

But before jumping the gun, students should carefully evaluate what time they have in their schedule to dedicate to owning a pet. It is a big responsibility that should not be taken lightly.

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our "Pet of the Week" lineup.