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I went vegan for 22 days. Before you start with the “No big deal, it’s just a diet” or the “I could never-” laments, hear me out, or at least read what I have to say. Going vegan while I am still a full-time student has taken a toll on me. Committing to any type of diet is never an easy feat. Then comes the question: “Why put yourself through all this torture?”.
Veganism can sound alien to some students and as a result, major misconceptions arise. “Veganism is the same as vegetarianism” . In the local context, people confusing vegans as vegetarians can be the norm. It’s easy to walk up to a hawker vendor and request vegan food, only to see vegetarian food items (eg. vegetables fried with eggs) served onto your plate. In reality, there is a major difference between pure veganism and vegetarianism. While vegetarians can still enjoy dairy products and eggs, which do not necessarily lead to the slaughter of animals, their vegan counterparts can’t say the same. As a temporary pure vegan, I found eggs, milk or any type of animal products banned from my diet. “Vegans can only eat vegetables”. While this statement can be held true to a certain extent for pure veganism, there are other types of vegan diets such as the junk food diet and the fruitarian diet (Junk food diet comprises highly processed plant-based foods, whereas the fruitarian diet comprises primarily raw fruits, nuts and seeds). Thus, there’s no strict definition of what veganism entails for everyone.
The vegan diet sounds like a chore, so why on earth would a poor student like me choose to go vegan? To put it simply, when a lover of nature and a documentary addict combine into one, you have an impulsive student itching to contribute to the rescue mission for the Earth. As impetuous as I was, I was still aware of my limitations as a full-time student. Hence, I settled for the less appealing option of going vegan as a 22 day challenge. Little did I know that these 22 days would be a cycle of self-interrogation, self-doubt, and determination.
Meal preparation was never arduous until I had my fair share of vegan days. Singapore schools aren’t very vegan/vegetarian friendly so I had to source for my own nutrients. As a niao (stingy) student, I wasn’t keen on paying the extra dollar(s) for vegan takeaway food. Hence, the kitchen became my retreat as I painstakingly cooked almost every vegan meal. However, foraging for local groceries wasn’t that simple as well. Being excruciatingly myopic doesn’t help with locating the tiny vegan symbols on every food product either.
The short-lived journey was a turbulent one indeed, but it was nevertheless an eventful and fruitful experience. Although I’ve converted back to a full-time omnivore, I try my best to eat as ethically as possible by opting for free-range poultry, eggs etc.
In closing, fellow comrades who are interested in the vegan lifestyle could always try them out for a “trial period”. Remember, attempting the vegan diet does not necessarily mean you have to be ready for a life-long commitment. Everyone has their own comfort zones in what they’re willing and able to try. You do you. Committing to a vegan diet or any other diet is never a piece of cake, but I believe that as long as you have the tenacity and good cause for it, committing yourself to a diet is worth the blood, sweat and tears.
Written by : Lim Yu Shu (21S74)
Edited by: Caroline Ong (21A10)
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