The other day while cleaning out some old shelves, I stumbled upon one of those "Getting to Know You" worksheets they had us do in Kindergarten on the first day of school. In an effort to get us to practice our mastery of the English language as well as help us develop our blossoming identities, the worksheets detailed fill-in-the-blank questions so that we can begin to figure out which version of ourselves we want to present to the world. A few of these complex and thought-provoking questions included "What's your favorite color?", "Where were you born?", and "What's your favorite sport?". As I studied this artifact and reveled in the nostalgia, one of my answers to these questions surprised me. Next to "What is your favorite food?", I had written "meat'.

I have been a vegetarian for three years now, and people always ask me why I decided to switch. Unfortunately, I don't even know the real answer myself. It could be because I no longer enjoyed meat and animal products like I used to. It could be that I worked at a fast food chicken restaurant for several years and ate chicken every day during my breaks. It could be that I wanted to have more control over my diet and the things I put in my body. It could be combination of all of these elements, and I usually try to sum it up as cleanly as possible when people do ask. Although all these reasons contributed to my initial change away from meat-products, they aren't why I have decided to make this a life-long commitment.

The most obvious aspect of my life that being a vegetarian has impacted is my health. Although it is challenging to stay away from the greasy and fried vegetarian options (of which there is no shortage), when I do manage to eat clean, homemade vegetables and dishes, I feel healthy and energized. The impact on my mental health has also been beneficial. My indecisive mind is put at ease when I only have a few dishes to choose from at a restaurant, and I am always excited about the prospect of cooking a new dish with which I can be creative and add my own twists to.

However, the most influential reason why I have decided to remain a vegetarian is for the environment. I can't claim to know much about the environment and sustainability, but after reading about how shying away from animal products could contribute to a more sustainable Earth, I began to view my diet in a different way. Do I think that I can save the world by refraining from eating meat? Absolutely not. I do feel as though doing my part, no matter how small, can at least contribute to the dialogues we are having about humans' practices when it comes to food and the environment. This is not to say that everyone should become a vegetarian. However, if there is a cause or an issue that someone is passionate about, they should never shy away from discussing it, no matter how small they believe their impact to be.