Should I go Vegan?

[Digoa]

Hi! I'm new to this site. I'm 14 years old and have recently become a vegetarian (about 2 and a half months ago). Currently I eat no meat, I mostly use organic eggs and milk. However, I still feel guilty about this as I have very strong views about animal rights. At school I try to avoid anything that obviously contains eggs and milk because I know that the school doesn't use organic food. All of my beliefs about animals tell me to go vegan, but I have some problems. Going vegetarian has already been much harder than I thought, not because I can't eat meat, but because of the reactions from other people. My friends have refused to cooperate so we go to the boarding rooms next door to the school for lunch everyday where they basically just serve burgers. The only things I can eat for lunch is pickled onions or plain bread which has lead to my mum worrying about if I'm getting enough nutrition. I also got into a LOT of trouble from my home economics teacher when I refused to use the battery farmed eggs. I just don't think that it would be worth all the grief of school, plus how annoyed it would make my parents. I'm aware that by not going vegan just because I would find it difficult is selfish of me, and it makes me feel guilty all the time. What I really want to know is if I should try my best to be vegan now, or hold out a few years until I leave home so that I can do it without complications.

 

[Second Summer]

Welcome to VV! And congratulations on going vegetarian!

For the moment concentrate on being vegetarian. Don't feel guilty - just accept that going vegetarian in the Shetlands as a 14-year old is already a massive undertaking. Think and plan for the long-term. Learn some good recipes. Make sure you eat properly every day. If you end up in the hospital from malnutrition, then you're not really a poster-child for veganism / vegetarianism!

Maybe in the slightly longer term you can eat vegan at home at least. Then one day when complete veganism seems feasible, do it!

 

[ledboots]

Hi Digoa, and congratulations on going vegetarian! I think that veganism can wait, too, until your decisions can more easily be yours alone.

And maybe bring a lunch to school!

 

[Digoa]

Thanks this has made me feel a lot better! I definetly want to go vegan at some point but I don't think that now is a good time. I think it would be easier to do once I leave home to go to university or whatever, because at the moment I only know one 'vegetarian' (he eats sausages sometimes!) and I would be surprised if there are many vegans on the island at all, let alone any my age.

 

[Amy SF]

Hi Digoa, and again, congrats on becoming vegetarian!

I agree with the others that the best thing you can do right now is concentrate on your vegetarian diet and stay healthy. I know it sucks having to compromise on your beliefs, but you can be an inspiration to others even as a vegetarian, but a healthy one. And I'm sure you'll find it a lot easier to be a vegetarian and even vegan once you're at uni.

 

[mary1]

Digoa, it's awesome that you are now vegetarian! Just do your best! Don't beat yourself up if you can't do things right away. Do the best you can with what you have and make sure you eat enough and are healthy. One day, it will be possible for you to buy things for yourself and make those decisions. Look ahead and forward to that day!

 

[AeryFairy]

Just do the best you can in your current situation - don't worry about the labels and getting everything perfect. I went vegetarian at the age of 14, and it took me seven years until I was able to go fully vegan. My advice would be to spend your time learning which meals are vegan/can be easily made vegan, both at home and when eating out. Then, when you're in a position to go fully vegan, you'll have a good knowledge base of the kind of things you can eat, and the transition should be a lot smoother.

Good luck!

 

[hungryraccoon]

You should do what you can & what you feel comfortable with.

The fact that you're 14 & feel this way makes me so happy. You're awesome!

 

[peacefulveglady]

Concentrate on going Vegan when your little older, My niece is around your age but she has her older sister that just came out Vegan helping helping her. I would stick to a Vegetarian diet and life style and worry about the Vegan Lifestyle as you grow older and more independent.

 

[PTree15]

Congrats on going vegetarian, Digoa. I agree with the others; do it when it feels right for you.

 

[Dedalus]

Welcome and good for you, Digoa! I just want to say that you're pretty awesome. I wish I had the insight that you possess at your age. The world needs more of you.

 

[Digoa]

Thank you everyone! It's really nice to know that I can take it slowly, I was just stressing out that I wasn't doing enough but this has made me much more relaxed!

 

[FortyTwo]

Welcome, and hope you enjoy your stay!

For me it was cold-turkey but not immediate. You might find yourself in a situation someday soon when you feel comfortable cutting eggs and dairy out of your diet, and then it might just happen. As it stands, you are absolutely free to take it at any pace you like. Any effort is still an effort, and the animals will be thanking you for it!

 

[peacefulveglady]

I am quitting cold turkey soon , the last few years had been total rough with us but, I am going to get some recipes finally and get some exploring to do.