Years ago, I lived in a shared housing group where we often had communal meals. On weekends, people made an effort to cater to everyone’s dietary needs, but during the week, we had pre-packaged meals—microwavable, frozen, or refrigerated. They ranged from terrible to tolerable, occasionally decent. Being vegetarian since I was 9, these meals were often hit or miss for me.
So, you can imagine how excited I was when we had freshly cooked meals. I especially looked forward to special events where the food options were even better.
But then came the day that changed everything for me. It was a scorching summer day, and they organized a barbecue for all the housing groups. I was excited about the veggie salads and other options. However, I dislike crowded and noisy places, so I decided to wait before heading to the buffet.
Big mistake. By the time I got there, everything was gone—even the sliced baguette with herb butter! I was shocked since I’d never faced this issue at other buffets. In the end, they had to get me a ready-made meal, and 10-year-old me learned a harsh lesson that day.
Ever since then, I always make sure to go first or as early as possible at buffets. Over time, I’ve gotten better at handling crowded events and now live on my own, so it’s easier. But I’ve also learned to put my humility aside when I know there are limited food options.
I always make it clear that I’m vegetarian, even at events. Whenever I share this story, people are usually pretty understanding or find it funny. It’s just one of those life lessons that stuck with me.