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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UTSA chapter.

        Hi I’m Jade, the vegan, and you probably have already made assumptions about me with that one little word that describes my diet. I went vegan almost two years ago and was vegetarian a year before that. Meaning I haven’t eaten meat in three years and surprisingly haven’t died. I also went to get my blood tested recently to make sure I was in good health and nothing came up. So that being said, I’m not one of “those vegans” who preach about their diet or constantly brag about the health benefits. Matter of fact, you’d probably never know I was vegan unless you asked.

        “Why?” is the most common question I get all the time, and the answer is very complicated. Why does anyone do anything especially when it makes their life much harder. The simplest answer I can give you is, because I wanted to. And of course, every once in a while someone will get insulted by my lifestyle, like it somehow effects theirs, but it’s not like I let them effect my life. Anyone and everyone will always have an opinion on what you chose to do with your own body and that doesn’t only go for what food you eat. So, if you want to change something in your diet or in your life, you shouldn’t let other people’s opinions get in the way. I have never once after being insulted or questioned about vegan then turned around and question going “back to normal”. Although, I am the only vegan I know and had to teach myself the proper way to replace the foods I was cutting out and how to cook foods I never seen before, that never made me want to go back to eating no-vegan. You can choose to take control of your own life or can keep doing “what normal” in fear of people will think of you, in the end the only person it effect is you.

        Lots of vegans will lie to you and tell you going vegan will clear up your skin, help you lose weight, and make you happier. Although, those things can happen, the truth is being vegan is just a diet and if you do it for any other reason that doesn’t involve the happiness and wellbeing of animals or your own personal health, then you won’t stick with it. Although I recommend going vegan, I would never judge anyone who chooses to stay the same because after all its their life not mine.