On
the night before the experiment, I ate a taco salad from Salsa with EXTRA
chicken. My friends were telling me how crazy I was for being a vegetarian,
however my professor said we should do a manageable but challenging change for
the next week. So that's what I thought I was doing.
Technology
One of the first things I've learned in the past 20 hours is that I check Facebook at an excessive amount. Since I decided to limit myself to half and hour a day, I thought it would be best if I waited until the end of my day, where I could use up all my time in one sitting. But apparently I check Facebook more than I thought. I’ve learned that it's not that I spend hours on the site, as I just go on for a couple minutes regularly throughout my day. Wake up in the morning and check to weather online- Open another tab for Facebook. Waiting to get into a classroom-Check people's statuses on my phone. Bored in Micro class- Let's go on Facebook. After stopping myself repeatedly throughout my day, my anticipation was building. So it was to my dismay when the time finally came and I was done with Facebook after 7 minutes (yes I timed it, I wanted to be precise, don’t judge). After 7 minutes I was over looking at statuses about dinner or homework, I realized that when it comes to Facebook, my priority is just talking to friends that are at other colleges.
One of the first things I've learned in the past 20 hours is that I check Facebook at an excessive amount. Since I decided to limit myself to half and hour a day, I thought it would be best if I waited until the end of my day, where I could use up all my time in one sitting. But apparently I check Facebook more than I thought. I’ve learned that it's not that I spend hours on the site, as I just go on for a couple minutes regularly throughout my day. Wake up in the morning and check to weather online- Open another tab for Facebook. Waiting to get into a classroom-Check people's statuses on my phone. Bored in Micro class- Let's go on Facebook. After stopping myself repeatedly throughout my day, my anticipation was building. So it was to my dismay when the time finally came and I was done with Facebook after 7 minutes (yes I timed it, I wanted to be precise, don’t judge). After 7 minutes I was over looking at statuses about dinner or homework, I realized that when it comes to Facebook, my priority is just talking to friends that are at other colleges.
Positive Impact/Political Action
I found this amazing website called comparemycandidates.com. It gives an objective opinion of every presidential candidate. I only read a couple of candidates, but I already feel well-informed. Seriously, this site is amazing, direct, and easy to read.
Transportation
I found this amazing website called comparemycandidates.com. It gives an objective opinion of every presidential candidate. I only read a couple of candidates, but I already feel well-informed. Seriously, this site is amazing, direct, and easy to read.
Transportation
So
far transportation hasn't been too much of an issue. When we
went to the market we took the shuttle because we were limited on time, but I
figured since it wasn’t the Tenleytown shuttle, I technically wasn’t breaking
my experiment, Right?
Consumerism
And because for my consumption I just wanted to reduce my waste as much as possible, I’ve learned to be more conscious about my waste. Simple yet effective things such as drinking water from my reusable water bottle instead of a plastic one, use silverware instead of plastic utensils, and use towels instead of napkins.
Consumerism
And because for my consumption I just wanted to reduce my waste as much as possible, I’ve learned to be more conscious about my waste. Simple yet effective things such as drinking water from my reusable water bottle instead of a plastic one, use silverware instead of plastic utensils, and use towels instead of napkins.
Health & Happiness
My favorite thing about this experiment so far is the time I set more myself to read. After dinner I curled up in my bed and immersed myself in Steve Job’s life in the early 1980’s (Incase anyone forgot, I’m reading his biography). I’ve found that to be in another world for half an hour is good for the soul.
My favorite thing about this experiment so far is the time I set more myself to read. After dinner I curled up in my bed and immersed myself in Steve Job’s life in the early 1980’s (Incase anyone forgot, I’m reading his biography). I’ve found that to be in another world for half an hour is good for the soul.
Food
I also learned another thing about myself: theoretically I can be a vegetarian, but I’m more full when I eat meat with my meal. I was dreading Tuesday’s lunch at TDR because I love Taco Tuesday. It’s one of the few meals I can count on at TDR that tastes pretty good and fills me up. As my hunger started to build, I was reminding myself not to add meat to my taco salad for lunch. I stood in line to create my meatless salad and felt pretty confident that the salad would taste just as good, until I saw the menu, Ground Turkey for the Tacos. I don’t care how pathetic this sounds, a part of groaned. I’ll have the occasional steak, but besides that I’m not much of a red meat kind of girl. I find that chicken and turkey taste better. I walked past but couldn’t help but wonder how much better my salad would be if meat were back in my life. I sat down and ate it, not too bad. But about an hour and a half later I was hungry again. Around dinnertime my roommate and I went down towards the Law School to buy food from a market. We’re tired of college food so we thought we’d go across the street and go to a place called Chicken Out. Something told me they wouldn’t have a lot of vegetarian choices and my suspicion was correct. After seeing my choices were a chicken-less salad or a plate of green beans, I figured I’d wait until we got back to campus. Oh the will power it took not to eat that chicken. That crispy chicken’s smell was torturing me, but I just kept reminding myself, just one more week. So far I’ve realized that being a vegetarian isn’t too bad, just when it comes to mealtime.
Overall
I know it’s only been one day, but I’ve already been thinking about what changes I will make for good and the ones that I might need more persuading.
I also learned another thing about myself: theoretically I can be a vegetarian, but I’m more full when I eat meat with my meal. I was dreading Tuesday’s lunch at TDR because I love Taco Tuesday. It’s one of the few meals I can count on at TDR that tastes pretty good and fills me up. As my hunger started to build, I was reminding myself not to add meat to my taco salad for lunch. I stood in line to create my meatless salad and felt pretty confident that the salad would taste just as good, until I saw the menu, Ground Turkey for the Tacos. I don’t care how pathetic this sounds, a part of groaned. I’ll have the occasional steak, but besides that I’m not much of a red meat kind of girl. I find that chicken and turkey taste better. I walked past but couldn’t help but wonder how much better my salad would be if meat were back in my life. I sat down and ate it, not too bad. But about an hour and a half later I was hungry again. Around dinnertime my roommate and I went down towards the Law School to buy food from a market. We’re tired of college food so we thought we’d go across the street and go to a place called Chicken Out. Something told me they wouldn’t have a lot of vegetarian choices and my suspicion was correct. After seeing my choices were a chicken-less salad or a plate of green beans, I figured I’d wait until we got back to campus. Oh the will power it took not to eat that chicken. That crispy chicken’s smell was torturing me, but I just kept reminding myself, just one more week. So far I’ve realized that being a vegetarian isn’t too bad, just when it comes to mealtime.
Overall
I know it’s only been one day, but I’ve already been thinking about what changes I will make for good and the ones that I might need more persuading.
Hey Maddie-
ReplyDeleteI LOVE your goal of reading for 30 minutes each day. So often during the school year we only read for our classes- but I agree that spending time reading something you enjoy is good for the soul (and mind!). I also think its wonderful that you are beginning to think long term- it shows that this project and the readings we have done are really resonating with you. Also, I commend your willpower to not eat the chicken!