One of the most challenging things I have ever done is going vegetarian. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision, and it actually was not as hard as I thought it was going to be. This is coming from someone who ate meat almost every day, but after doing my research on factory farming, it seemed like a small sacrifice to go without.
I loved being a vegetarian; it was amazing to think that by me making a small sacrifice, I was saving lives. Being in college, it was not the most realistic thing money wise, but you can bet your bottom dollar I will be a vegetarian again come graduation in 2017. The reason I hated being a vegetarian was the people who put me down for it. Some people would tell me I was not helping anything, that one person would not make a difference and that it was pointless. Some common questions I got were:
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- Why did you decide to go vegetarian?
- Are you really making a difference?
- I could never not eat meat. It is just too good. Is it hard for you?
- You will grow out of it, won't you?
I heard those comments every single time I told someone I did not eat meat and it honestly made me really upset. The reason why things in this world do not change is because everyone has the mindset of "one person does not make an impact." Yes it does! If everyone made the effort to make a difference, half of the issues in this world would be resolved. It takes one to start a movement, and it does make a difference.
I personally believe that, no matter what, a living and breathing creature has a soul and feelings. I do not understand how people can be okay with eating one animal over another. Where did that hierarchy come from? It is okay to eat cows, chickens, pigs, and fish, but not dogs, cats, lions, and lizards? I am not promoting eating those animals at all, but where did that come from? If cats and dogs getting killed and eaten makes most people outraged, why is it not the same for cows and pigs?
I do not think I hated anything more about being a vegetarian than people trying to pressure me to eat meat. My friends would eat meat and say, "Don't you wish you could have some?" Of course I do, but you should be supporting me when I'm passionate about something like this, not throw it in my face. Nothing is worse than doing something that you're proud of and passionate about getting ragged on, especially by your friends.
Although I am no longer a vegetarian, it is definitely not the end. Being a vegetarian is not as black and white as everyone thinks it is. If you haven't, you should try it! Experiment with cutting down on your meat intake, cut out one type of meat, use a meat substitute in some dishes, anything helps! And a piece of advice to anyone who knows a vegetarian: support them. You may not agree, but that does not mean what they are doing is not a good thing.
