I would wait and see if I could find a place to live and have a pet before I got one. It would be a shame to get one only to have to leave it behind because no one would allow pets.

Having said that, they are great companions and a lot of company when you live alone (or even with someone). I would say 3 to 5 years would be a good age. I have noticed that at age 5 mine matured and became even sweetier, at 3 they still have some playfuness in them and are fun to watch and play with. One would help you study and hold your books down to make sure they don't fall off the table and help hold your paper as you wrote and keep your lap warm while on the computer.