Having trouble with the odd non-vegan item

[Asher]

I've been a vegetarian for about a year now. Last year while at my university, a vegan group was handing out pamphlets which made me realize that eggs and dairy demand do hurt animals. Took a couple more months before I finally decided that I need to go vegan (I'm just stubborn I guess same thing as a vegetarian, awareness of the brutality, a couple months of me pretending that I don't care and that they are just animals, then making the change). I am with my mom for the summer and do my own grocery shopping and cooking. I but nothing non-vegan, and will not have cheese/eggs/milk that is just laying around the house, but I find myself having trouble with the odd non-vegan item. For example, I had some cake that was sitting out yesterday. I'm also pretty concerned about food at university. It is looking like I might get one buffet meal a day, and the food there is really limited, even for an omnivore. So, I am hoping to find a community that will help me stay in line. I know after this up-coming school year is done with it should get easier since I'll be able to live on my own then, but until then I want to eat as little animal products as possible (and hopefully none).

[EpicLibrarian]

Hi! Congrats on your movement in the compassionate direction!

I have been vegan for about 2.5 months, and one of the challenges at the beginning was that at work there was a table always full of cakes, chocolates and other sweets. So I started making sure I always had some sort of tasty vegan treat for myself to help with the transition. But then I was feeling so much better within a few weeks that I didn't even want that food, because I could remember how it made me feel. Another thing I did was tell people I was vegan. That helped me work harder to be a good example. I know it isn't our job to do that, but it helped me stick it out during the initial challenge. Just remember that when you slip up, it isn't the end of the world, and it is all about each choice you make. Just get back on the wagon next time and you'll make it!

[Blueberries]

Heya Asher, congratulations on taking steps towards veganism! Just about university, what is your situation with food? University in America is very different to here, I understand that you can live on campus and pay to have all of your food provided for you? University students here and in the UK generally have to deal more with lack of money than lack of food options as generally we buy our own food. If it is the case that you pay to have your food provided for you I would recommend that you talk to the catering service in your college and explain that you need sunstantial vegan options. If there's a veg soc in your college get them involved too.

[yo-yo]

hey, could you get in touch with the vegan group who were handing out leaflets? see how they get around the food situation? also, there are resources online, free leaflets/booklets for vegan catering, designed for places such as universities, colleges etc- would it be something you could pass onto them? There are lots of low-cost vegan meals they can make.
good luck with it all and congrats on becoming vegan! It's the best decision I ever made. also, like someone else said, don't beat yourself up if you have the odd slip-up, we are all on a journey, and you just have to do the best you can.
yo-yo x

[Asher]

Thanks for the support.

About my university food, yes, there is a meal ticket, which means I will get s many passes a day to an all you can eat buffet. However, it is looking that I may not get this, and rather a $1,000 coupon of sorts to the fast food places on campus. If I play it smart and mooch off of friends, I can use it for one meal a day.

I'll ask the vegan group if they are students and have any tips, but I have no idea what group they are, so I'll have to wait until the next time they come around. More on my meal plan, right now it is a big question, with a lot of non-vegan concerns too. I might be forced to pay for a bigger one that I could not afford, which would put out of university. I'll have to worry about it when I figure out what is going to happen.

But another worry is that if I am hungry and there are no vegan options, I am a lot more likely to eat something bad. And it is looking like I might be hungry a lot next year.