Whether it’s perceived as a health fad, an environmental movement or a protest against animal cruelty, veganism is on a steady rise. The world is embracing the no animal products movement, as is evident from the threefold increase in vegans in the UK since 2006, along with a similar surge in the US — from one percent of the population to six. This trend is also reflected among the students at NYU Abu Dhabi, many of whom were willing to share their stories with The Gazelle.

For Christos Plachouras and Ivy Akinyi, both Class of 2021, health was a major factor.

“I started getting exposed to all the research,” said Plachouras, who has been vegan for over two years. “I discussed it with a few people, including a cardiologist.”

Akinyi became a vegan after coming to NYUAD, but her journey started long before.

“Growing up, I never really enjoyed eating meat. I just did it because it was a thing that was expected in my society,” she recalled from her life in Kenya. “When I came here, I got the chance to start defining me and the things I do for my body. I decided I’m going to do it because I genuinely care about my health.”

For others, environmental and animal factors were the motivation. Shaikha Al Neaimi, Class of 2019, cites her research into these topics as part of her choice to stop eating animal products.

“In the beginning, it wasn’t because of the environment. I wasn’t aware of the effects of the meat industry,” explained Al Neaimi. “Then I started becoming more conscious of the environment, the animals and the industry in general.”

Similarly, Melissa Levinson, Class of 2018, has been vegan since her sophomore year after learning about the industry.

“My boyfriend’s sister is a personal trainer and she’s big on veganism and animal rights, so she had me watch a bunch of videos on dairy production in the US and how cruel it is,” she said. “I really care for animals and I can’t eat something knowing what it’s doing to these beings.”

Adhering to veganism on campus is a challenge for some and less so for others. Akinyi, for example, believes that her dietary needs are well met by NYUAD, if not exceeded.

“There’s a whole salad bar, a vegan place, even in the morning there’s a lot of options. I never complain because they have everything I need, all of the grains, all of the greens and they have brown rice. I didn’t even know about brown rice until I came here,” she said with a laugh.

Yumi Gambrill, Class of 2018 and member of the dining committee, stated that ADNH Compass is working hard to accommodate vegans on campus.

“ADNH believes that there are enough choices across the counters,” said Gambrill. “We have seen that the vegan counter is pretty popular, but it’s important to keep in mind that things like substitutes for dairy products and egg-free pasta are more expensive, which is why it’s not as easy to get more things that we’d like to see.”

As a senior, Levinson has seen a drastic change in the university’s approach to vegan food, but believes there could be room for improvement.

“Over the four years that I’ve been here, they’ve gotten much better with providing options, especially the vegan counter. Freshman year was pretty difficult because they would have the same things on rotation, but I think they’ve expanded a lot. It’s gotten easier, but it’s still not amazing,” she said.

Plachouras agreed about the availability of dishes and expressed that he wished some of them were healthier, citing the amount of oil used by ADNH in food preparation.

Shebi Niazi, Class of 2021, on the other hand, stressed the importance of vegan products in addition to food, since the lifestyle concerns more than just one’s diet.

“It would be better if we had more options, in terms of socializing, because when you go out — out, as in D2 — and eat with your non-vegan friends and they grab something like chocolate cake, it looks super good, but you know it’s not vegan and all you can have is fruit,” Niazi said.

“You also have to think about your lifestyle in terms of makeup and cruelty-free detergents and shampoos, and on campus there aren’t that many cruelty-free products, so that’s another issue,” added Niazi.

Reception of the lifestyle varies globally, yet many of the vegan students agree that NYUAD is quite accepting of their choices.

“Here is better than back in Greece because of the traditions,” said Plachouras. “My friends are much more open-minded. But yeah, I still get the vegan jokes.”

Niazi had a similar experience at home in Bulgaria, where she often encountered misconceptions about vegans.

“They have this preconceived notion that vegans are rude and feel superior to their meat-eating peers, which isn’t true. On campus, people are very friendly.”

On the other hand, Levinson finds Abu Dhabi less accommodating compared to the US.

“A lot of people don’t even know what it is here. I’ve often had to explain the difference between veganism and vegetarianism to my roommates, who have known me for four years,” she laughed.

“When I go to restaurants here, it’s difficult to ask people, Is there any dairy in it?, because to them it’s like, Why does it matter?, whereas back home, waiters are very perceptive,” said Levinson. “Abu Dhabi as a city is getting better, but the Middle East as a whole is still a bit more difficult than back home.”

Although Akinyi finds the perception on campus better than back home, she avoids the term vegan overall.

“I actually don’t label myself as a vegan, because it comes with a whole list of expectations,” admits Akinyi. “People don’t like the idea of veganism, especially if they’re huge on meat. They feel like once you have that label, all you can eat is greens.”

Despite their differing stories and attitudes towards the lifestyle, the vegans at NYUAD stand by their cause.

“I’m not here to tell you how to eat,” said Levinson. “I see the benefits in being vegan and I actively choose to stay away from products I see harming animals, but I would never tell anyone that they’re in the wrong for eating meat.”

“Being vegan isn’t as absolute as everyone thinks it is,” Al Neaimi said. “But once you learn more about why people choose the vegan lifestyle, you won’t feel like you’re giving anything up.”

Niazi sees her choice as a reflection of her values and perceives veganism as an influential movement.

“Veganism is the most powerful tool we have for saving our planet, ending world hunger, improving our health and becoming the people we believe [ourselves] to be — good people,” she said.