Wow. A month has flown by as a vegetarian, and I can't believe that my trial is already over.

I've had to deal with negative connotations and prejudice, suffer through torturous headaches, completely flip-flop my eating habits and fight myself not to eat meat at times.

But all in all, it was worth it.

What one doctor called my "detox" period (which caused headaches around week two and three) is over, so I'm not feeling sluggish or feeling ill anymore. I've dropped a pants size (back to my natural 33 from 34), and I weighed in on Oct. 29 at 196 pounds -- 12 pounds lighter than my weight before starting this experiment (this was without changing any of my other daily habits excluding the meatless diet).

I've learned a lot of the past month: how people automatically assume the worst when it comes to vegetarians, how people usually associate a vegan diet with all vegetarian dietary options and how supportive vegetarians are with their fellow veggies.

So what now? I've had a multitude of people asking me whether or not I'm going to stick with vegetarianism once October has ended. Short answer: yes.

I've shocked myself realizing how easy being a vegetarian has been, with all the health benefits tagged onto the lifestyle as well. But there is one stipulation to my new outlook. I'm not going to keep it as strict as I have this month. If I have to identify myself with a specific type of vegetarian, it'd label myself as a pescetarian, a vegetarian who still eats fish -- starting after a celebratory burger on Nov. 1.

I think this will fit more into my old lifestyle because I'll have a wider variety of options to choose from and will make going out to eat a lot easier. I just want to make it clear that I'm doing this strictly for the dietary benefits, not the ethical reasons at the heart of some vegetarians' choices. And admittedly, because I'm not keeping strict regulation on my diet now, I can foresee a taste of meat on special occasions. (I mean, Thanksgiving wouldn't be the same with out some turkey with my grandma's delicious gravy.)

This experience has really opened my eyes and I know now I'll think twice before attributing any negativity to a lifestyle choice I know nothing about personally.

But with the ending of my "experiment" and the start of my new, altered lifestyle, I issue a challenge to the general population, skeptics included. If you haven't already done so, give vegetarianism a try. If you've followed my journey, you'll see that it is tough at first, but once you get your foot in the door, it only gets easier from there. Even get a couple friends and try vegetarianism together. That way you have strength in numbers and a personalized support group. Who knows, you might surprise yourself and enjoy the benefits like I do.

Even if you want to undertake it on your own, there is a support group on campus: the vegetarian club. They have vegan potlucks, which put a variety of vegetarian-friendly foods at your fingertips to sample. And you have the knowledge and advice of "seasoned veterans," so to speak, to help guide you.

Vegetarian Club President Rusty Zufall (senior-computer science) said not only will the club help its members learn about vegetarianism as a whole, it will also help members discover what local restaurants are vegetarian and vegan-friendly. He said that if anyone expresses an interest in vegetarianism, that person should take it one step at a time.

"Cut one animal product out of your diet at a time," Zufall said. "People who dive right into vegetarianism or veganism are less likely to stick with it." I guess I'm an exception.

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.