It’s hard enough surviving the health & safety hazards of University Freshers’ week, so thriving on a vegan diet after too many jägerbombs* is a big ask. It’s all well and good that some flavours of Pot Noodle are vegan, but they’re only going to get you so far (and definitely isn’t going to fill parents with confidence)… That’s why we’ve put our heads together to come up with some top tips for getting on the right track for the long haul!
Student? Read on – you’ll thank yourself later down the line. Parent? Send to a student – they’ll thank you later down the line!
*You can check whether your alcohol aux choix is vegan-friendly on the Barnivore website!
- Step one: research cheap-to-make vegan recipes
Twiddling your thumbs while you’re a bit hungover during the liminal space that is Freshers’ week daytime? Get Googling! Being prepared is the key to success here, and getting a few meals that actually contain nutrients in your pro-chef repertoire will make your parents happy, your stomach happy, and if you’re in a sharing mood then it’ll make your flatmates happy too. There are plenty of websites, but if you’re more traditional and like to keep organised and feel like you’ve got your life together, then a cookbook is for you. What about this one from our friends over at The Vegan Kind?
- Step two: plan your meals in advance
We know it feels like another thing on the to-do list, but trust us – it makes for so much less faff for future you, and saves you so many pennies. Take a look at your list of cheap and easy vegan recipes, group them together by similar ingredients so that you don’t end up with a slimy half-punnet of mushrooms in the back of the fridge, and decide which you fancy. Then write your shopping list (ideally in order of the supermarket aisles so you don’t stray too far from the status quo), and stick to it! There are better places to spend the money you’ll save. If you can fit it into both to your schedule and to your fridge, then having a batch cooking day scheduled in will be a massive help whether you’re studious, sociable, all about societies, or just a bit lazy!
- Step three: join or start a vegan society to meet like minded people
Drag yourself out of bed and get to the Freshers’ fair! Not only will you be given enough free pens to get you through your entire university career, but you’ll also find the perfect place to make friends with people who share your ideals. This is so important: you’ll find people to go out to eat with and find the best vegan places in town, to organise a vegan Come Dine With Me with, to rant about people putting their raw chicken on top of your veggie sausages in the fridge with, and to remind each other why you’re doing this. You’ll also have the perfect excuse to get sign-ups during Veganuary and at the next Freshers fair, if recruitment is your jam!
- Step four: get involved with campus activism
This might go hand in hand with your newly-joined vegan society, but chances are there are more places to spread the vegan word and help save the planet and its inhabitants. There might be stalls for the Green Party (no time like the present to get involved in anti-fracking lobbying), Amnesty International (because veganism is a human rights issue, too), Litter Picking, Animal Welfare, People & Planet… and if you’ve got an idea that doesn’t exist, get in touch with your Student Union reps ASAP! Whatever your reason for going vegan, and whatever way you fancy expressing that, there’ll be a way for you to get on your high (consenting) horse and reinforce your beliefs by surrounding yourself with likeminded people.
- Step five: sign up to Vegums with a student discount
Obviously the most important thing is that we’re here for you, no matter what sort of Fresher you are. Meal planning gone to pot (noodles)? Take Vegums for back-up vitamins. Vegan Soc clashes with your sport training night? Take Vegums to remind yourself that you’re part of an even bigger community of vegans. Activism not for you? Take Vegums as a form of mini protest against plastic from the comfort of your own home. Got all of the above down to a T? Well then, take Vegums as a little treat for having your life together.
Follow the link below to be taken to the Student Beans website, where you’ll be given a code for a massive 20% off for as long as you’re a student! Your initial discount will last a year, and then you’ll just need to get in touch to renew it.
- Last but not least… Step six: sign up to our mailing list to make sure you don’t miss out on more life-saving info like this!