Upon arriving at college for my first term, I found myself in a culture moderately different from what I was used to. Much importance is placed on diversity, poetry, sex, and even health - that is, except Friday nights, when everyone fills up on cheap beer and Pita Pit. For the most part, the people I found myself closest with are very conscious of their diet and exercise. One thing I strive to do when I meet new people is to learn and grow from them. I consider myself a product of the people I meet and the experiences I have had. As someone who has no desire to go jump around in a sweaty gym with lots of people, I decided to start small, and tweak my eating habits a bit.

I always liked the idea of being a vegetarian, but growing up, I ate what my parents gave me. I wasn’t in much of a position to object. However, in college, I have free will to do as I please. This revelation has caused a lot of changes in my life. For one, I decided to give vegetarianism a chance. In addition to the health benefits, I hate the idea of eating anything that used to see and feel and love. When we go to our grocery store and buy prepackaged meat cut up into perfect squares, we can dissociate from the fact that it is an animal.

Not to mention that much of the product produced by the meat industry is not as fresh or healthy as we may think. Animals that will be slaughtered for consumption are not taken care of like they used to be, but rather pumped full of hormones, feed additives, antibiotics, and age-delaying gases. In no way is this good for the human body. One has to worry about E. coli and mad cow disease. Is it worth the harm and the risk?

I am by no means a scientist, but I thought of this adventure as a sort of experiment. My hypothesis was that if I stop eating meat and replace it with healthy alternatives, then I would feel and look better. To say that my experiment was a piece of cake is an understatement. I am surprised how much I do not miss eating meat, and how easy it is to find alternatives. I am still a beginner. It has only been about a month, but so far, so good. I feel fresher and happier, which is due in part to the absence of meat, but also, going vegetarian gave me a nice confidence boost. It make you feel as though you’re actively doing something good for the world. It is beneficial to both the body and the animals.

Vegetarians statistically have a much lower risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. In my experience, I feel happier, and my skin has never looked better. I will definitely continue to exclude all meat from my diet. The food is not bland - just different. My favorite thing to eat has been a grilled cheese on flat bread with lots of veggies. How could I miss meat with that in my life? I would recommend vegetarianism to anyone who is considering it. That's what college is about, right? It's about experiencing new things, and trying stuff out, so vegetarianism is a great place to start.