I've been vegetarian for almost five months now. The first thing people say when they hear that is, "Why?"

So I tell them about the problems with the meat industry. I tell them that the way meat is raised is bad for the environment. I tell them that they can kill all the cows they want and I won't blink an eye, as long as they don't torture them for an entire lifetime first.

People nod their heads. This makes sense to them. They can't find any fault in what I'm saying. Then they ask, "So why aren't you vegan?"

It's interesting, the way people's minds work. Since I've gotten to college, I've had a lot of meaningful conversations about a lot of different things. But I've noticed a strange phenomenon: no matter how much you argue and how logical you are, people don't change their minds. Each person comes away playing the words that he has just said over and over in his head, feeling that he has made an excellent point and gotten the other person to be more open-minded. I am no exception to this rule. It's almost impossible to take in other people's thoughts and opinions, and to truly consider changing your own.

But sometimes it happens - someone convinces you, really convinces you to change. Sometimes, you look into religion. You become vegetarian. You dress differently, act differently, think differently. It is these moments of change that form your life.

So look into vegetarianism. And be open-minded - yes, you, not the other person.