So far, college has been an amazing experience here at Towson University. It has changed me completely and I have grown so much in my three years.
My vegetarian journey began at the beginning of my spring semester of my sophomore year. I had come back from winter break and my roommate at the time told me that she had not eaten meat in a weak and she felt fantastic! I was a HUGE meat eater. I loved bacon in the morning, chicken or turkey sandwiches for lunch and steak, hotdogs, hamburgers or lamb for dinner. Meat was a huge part of my diet and I had never thought of changing that.
However since I had a friend telling me directly how great she felt and not just hearing about how a meat-free diet makes you feel better, I decided to give it a shot on February 1st 2010.
And boy was I glad I did!! After the first week I felt energetic and happy. I felt a weight had been lifted off my shoulders and it was then that I decided to stick with it. I immediately started doing research online on how to substitute plant-based foods (because of course my first concern was protein - like any American). I came across PETA and looked into their 30 day challenge and ordered the free packet.
Shortly afterwards I started letting people know that my diet had changed (a must if you are going to a friends house for dinner) and I told my parents. My dad was not as thrilled since I was his "meat" girl but my mom was ecstatic and even joined with me.
I remained vegetarian till the end of August and then went vegan when I moved into my first apartment for my junior year at college.
Being vegan has changed my perspective on life and has opened my eyes to the world we live in.
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Being vegan in college can present to be quite a challenge. If living on campus with nothing but a mini-fridge in your dorm-room you are forced to eat what is available on campus. I have been fortunate enough to go to a University that has been very veggie friendly. At Towson University a T-Veggie program was developed on campus to promote vegetarian and vegan foods.
The changes they have made have been quite amazing. Mock chicken and beef is available pretty much anywhere. Amy's vegetarian frozen meals have been showing up on campus as well.
However for those that do not go to this type of university it is quite easy to be vegetarian on a college campus. FIrst, most schools will have veggie burgers as an option but if not you can order a sandwich or wrap and ask for no meat but all the vegetables they have on hand. It is easy to email the dean of your school or put a suggestion in the suggestion boxes on campus asking for more vegetarian friendly meals.
If there is an environmental group or vegetarian group on campus they probably have knowledge of vegetarian friendly meals on campus and restaurants in the area.
It takes a lot more effort to be vegetarian than it does to be a meat-eater but the benefits are worth it! You will feel better and look better!
My vegetarian journey began at the beginning of my spring semester of my sophomore year. I had come back from winter break and my roommate at the time told me that she had not eaten meat in a weak and she felt fantastic! I was a HUGE meat eater. I loved bacon in the morning, chicken or turkey sandwiches for lunch and steak, hotdogs, hamburgers or lamb for dinner. Meat was a huge part of my diet and I had never thought of changing that.
However since I had a friend telling me directly how great she felt and not just hearing about how a meat-free diet makes you feel better, I decided to give it a shot on February 1st 2010.
And boy was I glad I did!! After the first week I felt energetic and happy. I felt a weight had been lifted off my shoulders and it was then that I decided to stick with it. I immediately started doing research online on how to substitute plant-based foods (because of course my first concern was protein - like any American). I came across PETA and looked into their 30 day challenge and ordered the free packet.
Shortly afterwards I started letting people know that my diet had changed (a must if you are going to a friends house for dinner) and I told my parents. My dad was not as thrilled since I was his "meat" girl but my mom was ecstatic and even joined with me.
I remained vegetarian till the end of August and then went vegan when I moved into my first apartment for my junior year at college.
Being vegan has changed my perspective on life and has opened my eyes to the world we live in.
************************************************************************************************************************************
Being vegan in college can present to be quite a challenge. If living on campus with nothing but a mini-fridge in your dorm-room you are forced to eat what is available on campus. I have been fortunate enough to go to a University that has been very veggie friendly. At Towson University a T-Veggie program was developed on campus to promote vegetarian and vegan foods.
The changes they have made have been quite amazing. Mock chicken and beef is available pretty much anywhere. Amy's vegetarian frozen meals have been showing up on campus as well.
However for those that do not go to this type of university it is quite easy to be vegetarian on a college campus. FIrst, most schools will have veggie burgers as an option but if not you can order a sandwich or wrap and ask for no meat but all the vegetables they have on hand. It is easy to email the dean of your school or put a suggestion in the suggestion boxes on campus asking for more vegetarian friendly meals.
If there is an environmental group or vegetarian group on campus they probably have knowledge of vegetarian friendly meals on campus and restaurants in the area.
It takes a lot more effort to be vegetarian than it does to be a meat-eater but the benefits are worth it! You will feel better and look better!
