The first time I learned what a vegan was when I was in the second grade. Before Thanksgiving break, my music teacher Miss Gialella told us she wouldn’t be eating any turkey because she was something called a “vegan.” When she explained what being vegan meant, I imagined that she must only eat salads all the time, and that seemed a little disappointing to me. Miss Gialella was probably the only vegan I knew until I came to Mount Holyoke, where I met one of my best friends, who is vegan, as well as a whole bunch of other people who are also vegan. Here are just a few of the many things that my friend has taught me about being vegan.
1. Being vegan doesn’t automatically mean you’re eating healthy.
Although I assumed Miss Gialella ate vegetables at every meal, it probably wasn’t true. Maybe she ate French fries and Oreos all the time. There are lots of foods out there that don’t contain any animal products but are packed with calories, fat, and sodium. Not to mention processed fake meats which can be loaded with preservatives and nutritionally empty ingredients.
2. Milk is weird.
My friend introduced me to the film Cowspiracy, a documentary about the effects of factory farming on the environment. In this documentary, milk was described as “baby calf growth fluid.” My exact reaction upon hearing this:
The hormones in cow’s milk are made for baby cows, the purpose of which is “to turn a 65-pound calf into a 700-pound cow as rapidly as possible.” Hormones made for cows by cows do not work on humans and this is something I never truly processed. I like cheese and ice cream, so I always feel conflicted now, but I have not forgotten “baby calf growth fluid” since.
3. Not all vegans are obsessed with judging you about not being vegan too.
Since becoming friends with a vegan, I have only been guilt-tripped once, when I was eating a burger, and she was being sarcastic. Vegans do feel very strongly about their lifestyle and dietary choices, but that doesn’t mean that they will constantly preach at you about veganism.
4. It’s not impossible to go vegan.
Part of me thought that being vegan meant feeling deprived of food and having unsatisfied cravings forever. But my friend has proved to me that doesn’t have to be the case. In fact, she can eat macaroni and cheese and brownies just like anyone else, the only difference is that the recipe is slightly modified for a vegan diet. Especially now since veganism is becoming more mainstream, there are a multitude of resources available if going vegan is something you’re considering.
I never thought I could ever become a vegan, but due to being friends with a vegan and doing things like cooking vegan food, the idea does not feel extremely far-fetched as before. It never hurts to have an open mind, and you don’t have to become vegan overnight.
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