Heaven is a place where the clouds are made with benevolence, compassion,and maybe even some tofu- Brian Nguyen

My struggle with weight and health has been a central part of my life. I actually wrote about this for my Manoa Merit scholarship application so I thought it would be perfect to paraphrase it and add some commentary about where I am today.

Heaven is a place where clouds are made with bacon, fried chicken and cheeseburgers. That was the mindset of chubby ten-year old me, ignorant of what I was consuming. At the rate I was devouring KFC chicken thighs, I would contract Diabetes just as my father had been diagnosed with. Every day, I would be dauntlessly bullied by classmates over my weight. However, it was solely due to my health that I desired to change my eating habits. That was easier than done. Walking past the succulent aroma of Tony Roma’s baby back ribs would cloud my judgment and continue my carnal desire of meat. Then one day it was all over. I said goodbye to this beloved vice containing both pleasure and pain.

My mother was conscious of my decision to become healthier and recommended an obscure foreign film on vegetarianism. I came in with low expectations, thinking nothing could stop me from piling on Chicken McNuggets. Incredibly, my narrow-minded world came to a crashing halt as we watched the video together. The film depicted the dire health concerns with eating processed meats, the moral repercussions of slaughtering animals, and the environmental degradation of factory farming. I quit cold turkey figuratively and literally, never looking back.

Being a vegetarian has molded me into the person I am today. I am majoring in Natural Resources and Environmental Management in pursuit of bettering the people and world around me. I will use my experience as a catalyst for achieving success and making lifelong friends who share my principles. My diet has fostered my commitment to persevere even when circumstances are rough, has entrenched in me a sense of independent thought, and has opened me to tolerate subjects I do not completely understand. Heaven is a place where the clouds are made with benevolence, compassion, and maybe even some tofu.