Hello everyone! I am Yanna, a year 1 environmental studies student at NUS. This is my first blogpost albeit a little late!

Here’s a little more about myself! I went cold turkey and turned vegan close to three years ago! It has been a wildly interesting experience for me and the people around me. I have gone through many phases in these 3 years, the excitement and uncertainty of going vegan, the anxiety of facing social situations, the joy of discovering new food, and the passion of strongly standing by my beliefs.

I was such a big foodie before going vegan. In fact, I was a really big meat eater. After being vegan for 3 years, my relationship with food has only improved! Even as a seasoned vegan, I’m constantly exploring new delicious, budget-friendly, and nutritious vegan food.

In this blog, I will be focusing on how the concept of veganism is being communicated and portrayed in both media and our daily lives. The question I faced the most after turning vegan was “So, what made you turn vegan?” That was the question I dreaded the most.I found it hard to communicate my passion and conviction that made me turn vegan. Being shot such a loaded question in social situations gave me mini panic attacks and sometimes I would even brush off the topic.

As I reflected, I realised why I couldnt effectively communicate something I was so passionate about. I was afraid of judgment, afraid to be different, afraid of sounding overbearing, and afraid to engage in. Slowly I started learning how to communicate my passion and conviction in a way that is palatable and easy to understand.

I have seen some of the blogs some friends and seniors have written about their experiences of going vegan. I would like to explore this new area where we think about how we communicate sustainability ideas in the context of veganism! Why this topic? Having done many social media marketing intern internships, I am genuinely intrigued by the wonders of communication. Be it the message of the organisation, brand, or even the stance and position an individual presents, by the way, they communicate and carry themself! Staying in hall as a freshie, this aspect of communication is something I face every day –  and I will be sharing more on my thoughts for this in future posts!

Join me as I start this journey of reflection and exploration!