When the clock struck midnight on the first of October, I didn't change into a pumpkin or a werewolf, but I did transform into something new: a vegetarian.

For the entire month of October, I have decided to follow a strict vegetarian diet by nixing all meat products from my daily intake. This will be a pretty different and difficult task for me because most of my meals primarily revolve around the source of meat -- everything else is just extra.

I have many reasons for doing this, but the main reason is my curiosity as to how vegetarianism affects people's lifestyles. The best way to research this is to experience it firsthand.

This isn't my first encounter with vegetarianism; I have seen it from a second-hand point of view for a while now. Many of my friends are various forms of vegetarians -- one still eats fish and another won't eat meat but still eats eggs and milk. I even have one who is straight vegan, nixing all products made by or from an animal.

Personally, I think this is a ludicrous lifestyle. I've watched my friends have to suffer through restaurants that had a very small selection for vegetarians and struggle to maintain an adequate intake of iron and protein.

But I was always told not to knock it until you've tried it, and that's what I'm going to do.

So for the next 29 days, I will see if there is anything I'm missing and see if there are any noticeable benefits or disadvantages. I'll be keeping track of my weight, average weekly spending, energy levels and overall feeling and will compare it to my normal amounts.

I'll keep an eye on which restaurants are the most vegetarian-friendly and, I hope, come up with some unique ways of dealing with a meatless diet.

I've only been a vegetarian for barely a day now, and I've already noticed a negative stigma being associated with it. I updated my Facebook status to say "Chris Bickel is officially a vegetarian," and not even an hour after posting, I had two friends post comments. One said, "I'm sorry," and another said, "your father would not be proud."

It just goes to show what people think about vegetarians. Some pick it for ethical reasons because they don't want to eat a food that comes from an act of harming another living creature. Some do it for dietary needs. I'm doing it just for the hell of it, and I still have the negative stigma pinned on me.

Regardless of what other people may think, I have taken some measures to prepare myself for this dietary change.

I have contacted friends of mine who are vegetarians and asked for their advice to maintain a balanced diet. With that in mind, I have collected several recipes to consider as well as purchased mineral supplements to ensure an adequate supply of nutrients for my body to function. I have also made my friends and family aware of my dietary restrictions to ensure their support and aid during this month period.

I do have some expectations, as well, for when the month-long experiment ends. On the final day of September, I weighed in at 208 pounds, and I expect that to drop just below 200 with the extraction of meat from my diet. I won't be surprised if my cravings for meat are strong; after all, I am going cold turkey (no pun intended).

Hopefully, this process will help shed some light and understanding on a vegetarian way of living. I'll keep you posted on how it works out.

Chris Bickel is a senior majoring in public relations and is The Daily Collegian's Friday columnist. His e-mail address is cdb5067@psu.edu.