Amy Lauver, Layout Editor
Choosing to live as a vegetarian is a personal choice. However, as a vegetarian in college, it can be difficult to avoid meat and animal products completely. Sodexo is where college students go to eat. As college students, we live in a world that is scheduled and often rushed, so sometimes it is impossible to take the time to be conscious of what is being put in our bodies.
Living as a vegetarian causes people to automatically be more conscious of what they are eating. It is not just about not wanting to eat meat because of the animals but also about taking care of our own bodies.
While most people choose to be vegetarian on the basis of animal rights, I have discovered that for my own life it is a better way to live. Now, sometimes I do just grab a plate of fries or bowl of cereal in Sodexo because it is quick and easy, but, for the most part, I have become more aware of what is going in my body.
Making the switch to a vegetarian diet was not as difficult as I expected. I braced myself for random meat cravings and relentless temptations. I expected a struggle in Pop’s to just go for the popcorn chicken. However, this was not the case. With a little help from my friends who were already vegan and vegetarian, I learned how easy it can be.
Now, I am not going to lie and say it was the easiest thing I have ever done, but it was definitely simpler than thought to be. What was hard had nothing to do with food at all. I felt pressure from those who were helping me make the switch. I had already committed in my head to the cause, but the possibility of giving into cravings and temptations gave me an overwhelming sense of responsibility I had to my friends, the fight against animal cruelty and even myself. With responsibility being my second top strength, I had to make every effort to not cheat or give up.
As I learned how to substitute meat in my diet with things like beans and nuts, I realized how much healthier I could be. While I am still new to the vegetarian lifestyle, I often have to make sure I am getting enough iron and protein daily. It is a repercussion of the choice I made to live as a healthy vegetarian instead of just living on potatoes.
We should be looking out for the earth as a whole, including animals, the environment and each other. If we all make an effort to change something in our lives, the Earth can be made better.
I miss chicken the most.