Grad's guide to graduate admissions essays - Colleen Reding 2015

Harvard business school
Business

Answer a question you wished we asked.

Why am I a vegetarian?

I still crave bacon. A lot. Being a vegetarian for the past 7 years, however, has not only tested my principles daily but has also taught me the joy of being disciplined and true to my values.

I was always disturbed about animals kept in confined dirty spaces and subsequently killed. Nonetheless, I never let go of my Churrasco. A theology class discussion at Georgetown challenged my quickness to embrace instantaneous gratification and inspired me to act on my belief that imposing suffering on any living being is utterly unethical.

The temptations are many! Not long ago, I was at Casa, my favorite Brazilian restaurant in NYC, thinking how great the shrimp stew probably tasted. The waiter came back to the table twice before I could make a decision. Ultimately, I ordered the only vegetarian option, and it felt great. Nothing except my own conscience was stopping me from eating shrimp, and I was happy I had the discipline to stick to what I believe in. I wasn’t going to compromise my values for a fleeting sensation.

All this said, I am not a proselytizing vegetarian! I won’t send friends shocking videos of cows being slaughtered. I won’t shove my values down others’ throats. Instead, I influence people subtly, such as by cooking a delicious vegetarian meal for my friends and highlighting its health advantages.

To keep my belief in animal rights alive, I am the team leader for Added Value Farms, a sustainable urban farm located in Redhook, Brooklyn, an impoverished neighborhood that has no grocery stores and no place where the community can buy fresh vegetables. Every other Saturday, I lead 20 volunteers to complete tasks as varied as building planting beds, turning compost, and harvesting.

Through my work at the farm, I contribute to producing fresh vegetables for the Redhook community and spread the message about vegetarianism and the benefits of substituting meat consumption with cheaper, healthier, and sustainable options.

I shared this story because it represents one of the most challenging yet rewarding aspects of how I like to live my life. It’s easy to ascribe to oneself values that haven’t been tested; doing what one believes to be morally right is often extremely difficult. Yet, the choice to live up to one’s values is one that we all have. I’m proud of myself because for the past 7 years, I have lived up to my belief that no living being ought to suffer. In different aspects of my life, personal and professional, I aspire to always be true to my values.