On New Years Eve, my beloved betta fish, Maverick, passed away. I know it's odd to mourn a pet fish like this, but he was my little buddy during some of the hardest times during Uni. He had more personality than any other fish I've known, and he was less like a hobby and more like a member of the family.

Mav was a gift from my sister after my third semester, which was well welcomed after struggling with a difficult living situation the previous semester. He was very small, had fin rot, and I suspect he was inbred, meaning he likely came from a chain pet store, but I was going to take care of him regardless. He was very lively, and loved swimming in loops in his tank like a little fighter jet, which is why I named him Maverick. He was also very friendly, which was abnormal for a betta, and he loved when I would give him attention. He knew he was a pet, and that he relied on me. At times he would splash water around to make noise so I would notice him, either when he was hungry or when he just wanted attention. He'd try to wake me up every morning, about an hour before he was supposed to be fed, it helped me know when to start getting ready for class. I tried to redecorate his tank frequently so he would have things to explore, and I did give him toys to play with, although he preferred to hide from the mirror rather than engage with it. I tried upgrading him to a bigger tank after moving into an on-campus apartment this year, and although he was getting tired and slowing down, he did seem to enjoy it. I did everything I could to try to treat his fin rot, but it had progressed so far that the fins would never grow back completely. I wish there was more I could have done for him. I graduate at the end of next semester, I'm sad he won't get to see. He was there through all of my hardest classes, through messy family fights, through everything, and he loved me and I loved him. I'm going to miss you so much, buddy!