Nick Turissi
Staff Reporter
Cheesesteak. The smell coursed through my nostrils, and beckoned to me to take a taste. After 7 years of smelling meat and being repulsed, why am I now aroused by the smell of meat?
When meeting a new person, something that always comes up about myself was being a vegetarian. It is something that becomes a piece of you. And the first question, every single person asked me when they found out was, “Why?”
There are several reasons people become a vegetarian- health benefits, animal cruelty, etc. Although I am an animal lover, my reason was a lot simpler then that. I was just picky. I remember being in the grocery store when I was young, asking my mom if there was meat in mozzarella sticks. When she said no, I was relieved that I didn’t have to give up my favorite food.
I did not stop eating meat that day. My parents were afraid if I stopped eating meat it would hurt my already limited diet. But the day I did finally stop eating meat, I didn’t just quit cold turkey. I first stopped eating the little red meat I did eat, but still ate poultry. After that it became easier and easier to stop eating the things I loved, and soon I was a full vegetarian.
So 7 years I have been a vegetarian, and why all of a sudden start eating meat again? Cheese steak. I had completely forgotten about the existence of this Philadelphia delicacy, until this past summer. And after 5 cruel months of craving, and drooling every time I have seen a plate of something that I could not have. I caved. It wasn’t as much as caving, really, as it was deciding it was time for a change. And after being a vegetarian for 7 years, I was basically ready for that. And of course, I really wanted a cheesesteak.
The process of eating meat again has been just as difficult as becoming a vegetarian in the first place. I have been getting sick every once in awhile, and have only been eating certain things. But let me tell you all, meat is good.
