I came to NSU as a vegan. To avoid any misunderstanding of the term, I will define it as the omission of any animal products, including dairy and meat, from daily consumption. Leaving behind the comforts of my pantry full of vegan ingredients, I knew that veganism in college would be a struggle, but as a practitioner of Jainism and a believer of “ahimsa,” the Sanskrit term for “nonviolence,” I vowed to uphold my commitment to my lifestyle.
When asked why I chose this lifestyle, my generic answer is something like, “It’s because of my religion.” However, when I take a step back to reflect on my justification for denying a glistening Papa John’s slice, the reasons are limitless. The spiritual application of Jain beliefs to remove meat and animal products from my diet is one of them. Yet, my choice has scientific reasoning behind it as well. Because of my choice to consume less from boxes and more from the earth, I have allowed my body and mind to return to its state of homeostasis. My body does not need meat to survive and can sustain itself just as well on a plant-based diet. Additionally, many animal products available on the market today have been derived through inhumane methods, are dangerous to our ecosystem and ultimately destructive to the human race.
I am not one to condone calorie-count obsessions, fashionably restrictive diets, or an I-am-greener-than-thou mentality. These stigmas, born from the evil underbelly of media and reality television, all achingly mar the beauty and adventure of a vegan lifestyle. They make it seem like the lifestyle I chose for myself is wrong, dangerous and shameful. It pains me to see the cynicism among people who discount the value of clean eating and exercise and then struggle on their own journey to good health by experimenting with extreme dieting and unnatural medications or surgical procedures.
We live in a world where simple answers are not enough and quick-fix practices are glamorized. Yet the truthful answer to wellness is this simple mantra: eat clean, train mean. Some people hear “vegan” and shudder at the thought of celery stalk strings perpetually wedged in their gums. Others bereave the loss of Parmesan cheese sprinkled on their salads or pout at the thought of never indulging in chocolate again. People ask me many questions about my diet: “What do you eat?” “Do you even eat?” and “How do you survive?” The most asked question of all is “How do you eat anything on campus?”
The challenge to maintain my lifestyle is real. I live in a residence hall with limited refrigerator space, and the declining balance meal plan I’m required to purchase limits me to the food on campus. I’m surrounded by a minute population of fellow vegans, and I have an extremely active schedule.
However, I have never seen my vegan diet as a punishment or prohibition but an opportunity to be resourceful and imaginative. While some of Shark Dining’s options are not the best for me, such as Denny’s and Pizza Loft, I have found alternate paths to the nourishment I need.
The autonomy to choose what goes into my meals at Food Bar, Chick-N-Grill, Subway and Greens Etc. allows me to customize my meals to include sufficient protein, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins. In my time at NSU, I have experimented with eccentric salad combinations at Greens Etc. and have managed to make tofu enticing at Food Bar. Off campus, local farmers markets have become my playground. I fell in love with breadfruit and parsnips and squash of every shape, color and size. I’ve discovered the magic of quinoa with toasted pine nuts and the elegant simplicity of a kiwi. I’ve indulged in unique foods like dragon fruit, black bean brownies and banana custard. Through veganism, I have cherished the wonder of my anatomy and physiology, graciously nourishing my body with cleanliness and love, like I would a temple.
From the moment we forgo the game of “Here comes the choo-choo train. Open wide!” and start to wield a fork of our own accord, we gain the rights to self-nourishment and global accountability. We obtain the voice to say, “Hey there, Earth. This is my body. This is my temple. Thank you for letting me take care of it, and I’ll take care of you.” Through the holy contract we’ve made with our body, to keep it clean and free of impurities, we have the opportunity to also fulfill our contract with the earth: to consume less, to tread lightly. I am thankful that NSU provides such a conducive environment for my unconventional lifestyle, and I have great hopes that NSU will continue to accommodate even the quirkiest tastes.
