The gloomy weather matched my mood for day four of my vegan diet. This journey has turned into a challenge.

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I grabbed a banana a church, but that was the extent of the food I could eat while rushing to church. I had a practical lesson in avoiding temptation by refraining from eating a delicious, sugar-crusted doughnut.

Typically, I go out to eat at a dining hall with my friends after church; however, after learning about the limited vegan options the dining hall offered, I didn’t join them.

It doesn’t make financial sense for me to spend $7.95 for a salad that I could make a home. If this were a normal week, I’d eat an omelet with pancakes, maybe even have ice cream.

Although NIU’s Campus Dining Service’s web page lists vegan options at dining halls, they’re not always available. As someone with a nut allergy, I’m nervous about cross-contamination or products being manufactured on shared equipment.

If I lived in a residence hall and used the dining hall for all my meals, I would need to set up an alternative plan.

Campus Dining Services does work with students and offers myPantry with separate refrigerators and microwaves for students with alternative diets.

Instead of eating out with friends, I ate brunch: a bagel and vegetable soup with saltines. Dinner was more exciting; I found a vegan bean burrito with chips and salsa.

It’s also important to note that my vegan journey only includes my food choices. Some vegans extend their animal advocacy to their clothing and personal hygiene products.

While I’m not going vegan in all aspects of my life, changing my diet has affected more than my food choices. To be melodramatic, I’m disappointed that my diet choices took away time I could have been spending with friends.

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