Need Help with choosing a small animal!!

I know there are probably tons of posts just like this, but I hope you can help me out with this.

I am a sophomore in high school who would like to get a pet for myself. My family has two dogs, which don't really belong to any specific member of the family. I would like to purchase a small pet for myself that I can have full responsibility for and to bond with. In 6th grade, I did own a hamster, although I did not take the best care of him. His cage was cleaned with soap and water about once every two weeks and his droppings and food were dealt with daily, although I always though of it as a chore and not taking care of a living being, and I never truly felt like we bonded well.

Obviously, I have well matured since then and I am certainly ready to start anew. I live in New England, so the temperature fluctuates to both extremes. I am not really looking for a hamster, but maybe something a little bit bigger (glider, chinchilla, ferret)? It also doesn't have to be warm-blooded, although snakes are outlawed by mother. I would like something relatively inexpensive to maintain, and initial price is not a deal-breaker. With me being in high school, I am gone most of the day, but I can definitely find a spare hour after school to play with the critter. Also, I plan on going to college, but I also hope to stay in the north, so I will come home often to see them, and I have two younger siblings to keep them company.

Thank you for any help you can give, and I can answer any questions you may have, sorry if this post is confusing to read :P and thanks again!!