The Plant Powered College Experience

Tomorrow marks the first day of my third year in college at the University of California, San Diego.  Not only am I officially half-finished with my degree, but I am also returning to school this year with a new take on eating, purely Plant Powered.  This blog will be an area where I will share tips on avoiding the temptations to slip up which tend to surround those of us in school, proper substitutions that will satisfy any late night college craving, and ways you can make sure to fuel your body properly while running from classes to work then an extra curricular all in one day.  So please check back for future posts!

As most people know, college tends to go hand in hand with poor eating habits.  Whether it be students skipping meals to accommodate their busy schedule, eating too frequently to cope with stress, consuming the cheapest and lowest nutritional value foods to fit the budget, or any combination of the three, college kids have to work to feed themselves right.  Just think about the situation many of us are put into: moving out of our parents home for the first time, forced to purchase “meal points” or so-called “dining dollars” to feed ourselves, left with no kitchen or a very small and dysfunctional one, and little to no money that can be spent on food that comes from anywhere but the dining halls.  Plus many students don’t even have their own vehicle to easily buy food from off campus locations!

I know how unrealistic it may seem to sustain a fully vegan lifestyle under these circumstances but I also know from experience that it can be done if you are willing.

Rule #1 : Don’t let the changes to your eating habits be ANOTHER point of stress in your already stressful school year. If you have to make the change gradually, do it.  If you eat something you feel like you shouldn’t have, don’t beat yourself up over it, just acknowledge why it happened and tell yourself it will be different next time.  All we can ask of ourselves is to do our best!

Here’s to another amazing school year,  I wish all of you happiness, health and success!

Love, Leela

P.S. Check out inspiration and recipes for going Plant Powered at PlantPoweredLiving.com