Jo sez:
My relationships with people in my life will hinge upon how much
acceptance, trust, and respect I have for my own choices and decisions. How
I view myself will be reflected in how I am treated by others.

Jo,

Thanks for your words.  Perhaps I can clarify my concerns.  My concern is
not so much that I will preach to all my acquantances about the merits of
raw food and pass judgement, but it is that I will become the "freak" of the
dorm hall because I consume raw meat.

Perhaps it sounds a little weak of me.  However, I don't usually consider
myself a weak person.  What the issue seems to be is that I simply tend to
shut myself away from people who ridicule me, in turn becoming incresingly
independent.

Maybe I'm just worrying a bit too much.  Nevertheless, this type of thing
has happened to me on a smaller scale from time to time.  I just tend to
think that the larger amount of interaction in the dorms might become
laborsome when it comes to explaining to everybody why I eat raw meat.  To
be honest, I'm also a little worried about dating too.

I know I shouldn't make such an issue of this, but these are simply my
honest thoughts.  Whatever the case may be, I definitely am going to give it
a "college try."  We shall see what transpires.

Thanks again for the input,

Ben

There's just no opportunity to develop a "screw you I'm unique" attitude.

The only time I feel any external judgement is when I aim that same harsh
spotlight on myself.

Have fun Ben, and be comfortable with yourself. Everything else is trivial.