---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I didn't actually know what a vegetarian…"
description: "\"I didn't actually know what a vegetarian was until I was 13 years old. I know in this day and age it's hard to believe that, but I think because I grew..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3d/abbie-cornish-16751_actually_i-didn-t-actually-know-what-a-vegetarian_1588278.jpg"
---

#  I didn't actually know what a vegetarian was until I was…

![“I didn't actually know what a vegetarian was until I was 13 years old. I know in this day and age it's hard to believe that, but I think because I grew up on a farm, I wasn't indulged in magazines, newspapers, Internet, television. And so, for some reason, I was never exposed to what a vegetarian…” quote by Abbie Cornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3d/abbie-cornish-16751_actually_i-didn-t-actually-know-what-a-vegetarian_1588278.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3d/abbie-cornish-16751_actually_i-didn-t-actually-know-what-a-vegetarian_1588278.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3d/abbie-cornish-16751_actually_i-didn-t-actually-know-what-a-vegetarian_1588278.jpg)

> “I didn't actually know what a vegetarian was until I was 13 years old. I know in this day and age it's hard to believe that, but I think because I grew up on a farm, I wasn't indulged in magazines, newspapers, Internet, television. And so, for some reason, I was never exposed to what a vegetarian was.”

[Abbie Cornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-cornish/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker realized they only learned about vegetarianism in early teens, highlighting limited exposure to media and cultural norms.

**In simple terms:** Learned about vegetarianism at 13 due to rural upbringing and lack of media exposure.

Key Takeaway

Recognize how environment shapes knowledge.

Themes

culture media food choices

Mood

reflective thoughtful

Type

personal anecdote cultural observation

When to use this quote

- Rural upbringing
- school education
- family meals
- media influence

Key Concepts

Socialization information access dietary identity

Questions to Reflect On

- How does media shape our dietary choices?
- What other concepts have you missed due to environment?

A Different Perspective

Limited exposure can delay awareness of lifestyle options.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[13 Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/13-years/) [Actually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actually/) [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Because](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [Exposed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exposed/) [Exposed Vegetarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exposed-vegetarian-6014406/) [Farm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/farm/) [Grew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grew/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Hard to believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-to-believe/) [I think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) [Internet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internet/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Know Vegetarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-vegetarian-2030437/) [Magazines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magazines/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Newspapers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/newspapers/) [Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Some](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/some/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Until](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/until/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) [Vegetarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vegetarian/) [Vegetarian 13](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vegetarian-13-5919387/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/)

## Related quotes

> [Nutrition has always played a huge role in my life. I became a vegetarian when I was 13 and then got my entire family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christie-brinkley/nutrition-has-always-played-a-huge-role-in-my-life-i-became-a/)

[Christie Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christie-brinkley/)

> [ \[My father\] didn't make much money, and I tell a lot of people, you know, I was a vegetarian before people knew what a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-aaron/my-father-didn-t-make-much-money-and-i-tell-a-lot-of-people-you-know/)

[Hank Aaron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-aaron/)

> [I call being vegetarian the 'Wow Rao' diet. Wow because I know that being vegetarian is the best thing I can do for myself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amrita-rao/i-call-being-vegetarian-the-wow-rao-diet-wow-because-i-know-that/)

[Amrita Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amrita-rao/)

> [I want kids that look up to me to know that I'm a vegetarian, and I want to help them find alternatives to meat.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaden-smith/i-want-kids-that-look-up-to-me-to-know-that-i-m-a-vegetarian-and-i/)

[Jaden Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaden-smith/)

> [I'm one of five kids and we lived on a massive farm in New South Wales with my mum and dad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-cornish/i-m-one-of-five-kids-and-we-lived-on-a-massive-farm-in-new-south/)

[Abbie Cornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-cornish/)

> [You wake up one day and realize, 'Now, I'm a veteran.' You just wake up one day, and you're like, 'I'm 35, and I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-agosto/you-wake-up-one-day-and-realize-now-i-m-a-veteran-you-just-wake-up/)

[Nicholas D'Agosto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-agosto/)

> [I left my home when I was 13 years old, I was a professional at 17, and I've been playing basketball since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-calderon/i-left-my-home-when-i-was-13-years-old-i-was-a-professional-at-17-and/)

[Jose Calderon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-calderon/)

> [I was a slave. I was sold in China in 2007 as a child at 13 years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/i-was-a-slave-i-was-sold-in-china-in-2007-as-a-child-at-13-years-old/)

[Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/)

> [I came to this country when I was 13 years old, I couldn't really speak English, and I had an accent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-o-yang/i-came-to-this-country-when-i-was-13-years-old-i-couldn-t-really/)

[Jimmy O. Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-o-yang/)

> [After 13 years of life on the half shell in Hollywood, I have made a trip where I wasn't a tourist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-bergen/after-13-years-of-life-on-the-half-shell-in-hollywood-i-have-made-a/)

[Edgar Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-bergen/)

> [I have been out of drama school for 13 years, so there are 13 years' worth of graduates behind me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-barnett/i-have-been-out-of-drama-school-for-13-years-so-there-are-13-years/)

[Samuel Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-barnett/)

> [When you've worked in the same place for 13 years, when things go well, you know how to keep it going well. When things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/when-you-ve-worked-in-the-same-place-for-13-years-when-things-go-well/)

[Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/)

> [I was only 13 years old when I was forced to face the fragility of my own life. A routine surgery landed me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-wineland/i-was-only-13-years-old-when-i-was-forced-to-face-the-fragility-of-my/)

[Claire Wineland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-wineland/)

> [I knew what I wanted to do when I was 13 and I had to go through four years of high school to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mayer/i-knew-what-i-wanted-to-do-when-i-was-13-and-i-had-to-go-through-four/)

[John Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mayer/)

> [I probably realized when I was maybe 13 years of age that I could make a living out of playing professional sport and from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israel-folau/i-probably-realized-when-i-was-maybe-13-years-of-age-that-i-could/)

[Israel Folau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israel-folau/)

## More by Abbie Cornish

> [I'm portable. I carry a laptop and a little recording studio on my back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-cornish/i-m-portable-i-carry-a-laptop-and-a-little-recording-studio-on-my-back/)

[Abbie Cornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-cornish/)

> [I think as a child you know when it's time for your parents to split. You realise they love each other, but they're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-cornish/i-think-as-a-child-you-know-when-it-s-time-for-your-parents-to-split/)

[Abbie Cornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-cornish/)

> [I'm a bit hyperactive as an actor, I like to keep moving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-cornish/i-m-a-bit-hyperactive-as-an-actor-i-like-to-keep-moving/)

[Abbie Cornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-cornish/)

> [I'm one of five kids and we lived on a massive farm in New South Wales with my mum and dad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-cornish/i-m-one-of-five-kids-and-we-lived-on-a-massive-farm-in-new-south/)

[Abbie Cornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-cornish/)

> [I play the keyboard, piano - I like making beats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-cornish/i-play-the-keyboard-piano-i-like-making-beats/)

[Abbie Cornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-cornish/)

> [I'm pretty unusual for an actress in Hollywood because I am totally unselfconscious about my body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-cornish/i-m-pretty-unusual-for-an-actress-in-hollywood-because-i-am-totally/)

[Abbie Cornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-cornish/)

> [I'm a vegetarian and very much active in regards to how I feel about animal rights and protecting animals and giving animals a voice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-cornish/i-m-a-vegetarian-and-very-much-active-in-regards-to-how-i-feel-about/)

[Abbie Cornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-cornish/)

> [I'm always writing lyrics. I have so many lyrics on so many stray pieces of paper. Everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-cornish/i-m-always-writing-lyrics-i-have-so-many-lyrics-on-so-many-stray/)

[Abbie Cornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-cornish/)

> [When I step into a character's shoes, I don't judge them. I make a conscious effort not to look from the outside in but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-cornish/when-i-step-into-a-character-s-shoes-i-don-t-judge-them-i-make-a/)

[Abbie Cornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-cornish/)

> [Because I don't have a child and as much as you can sort of imagine it it's always nice to hear from all different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-cornish/because-i-don-t-have-a-child-and-as-much-as-you-can-sort-of-imagine/)

[Abbie Cornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-cornish/)

> [Whenever I am acting, it's everything, you know. If I'm researching a role, I'm completely consumed in that and, between action and cut, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-cornish/whenever-i-am-acting-it-s-everything-you-know-if-i-m-researching-a/)

[Abbie Cornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-cornish/)

> [I didn't go to the cinemas a lot as a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-cornish/i-didn-t-go-to-the-cinemas-a-lot-as-a-kid/)

[Abbie Cornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-cornish/)

> [I've been rapping since I was 18 years old, with a crew called Blades.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-cornish/i-ve-been-rapping-since-i-was-18-years-old-with-a-crew-called-blades/)

[Abbie Cornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-cornish/)

> [In real life, I'm pretty much an eternal optimist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-cornish/in-real-life-i-m-pretty-much-an-eternal-optimist/)

[Abbie Cornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-cornish/)

> [I had an amazing childhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-cornish/i-had-an-amazing-childhood/)

[Abbie Cornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-cornish/)

[Explore all 39 Abbie Cornish quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-cornish/)

## More Actually quotes

> [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/)

[Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/)

> [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/)

[Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/)

> [I actually like getting out of my comfort zone. It shakes me up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-sheehy/i-actually-like-getting-out-of-my-comfort-zone-it-shakes-me-up/)

[Gail Sheehy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-sheehy/)

> [You have to talk about why things happened the way they did. You can't actually explain my political life except by a series of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lange/you-have-to-talk-about-why-things-happened-the-way-they-did-you-can-t/)

[David Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lange/)

> [Failure actually makes you strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neha-sharma/failure-actually-makes-you-strong/)

[Neha Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neha-sharma/)

> [There's always that discussion about fiction about how do you market it - these are books for boys, these are books for girls, these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-weatherly/there-s-always-that-discussion-about-fiction-about-how-do-you-market/)

[L.A. Weatherly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-weatherly/)

> [I'm from Europe, England, and I actually lived in Italy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje/i-m-from-europe-england-and-i-actually-lived-in-italy/)

[Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje/)

> [The alternative comedy scene is actually pretty small, I guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-wilson/the-alternative-comedy-scene-is-actually-pretty-small-i-guess/)

[Casey Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-wilson/)

> [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/)

[Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/)

> [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/)

[Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/)

> [Somebody said that part of my reaction to British cinema is actually, paradoxically, a patriotic one. I'm so disappointed that we're not better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-brownlow/somebody-said-that-part-of-my-reaction-to-british-cinema-is-actually/)

[Kevin Brownlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-brownlow/)

> [I actually do sing sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morten-harket/i-actually-do-sing-sometimes/)

[Morten Harket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morten-harket/)

> [I've actually got quite a good memory. I've good recall. It's often things which other people might not notice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-frame/i-ve-actually-got-quite-a-good-memory-i-ve-good-recall-it-s-often/)

[Ronald Frame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-frame/)

> [Because there is actually something very interesting in Goodfellas, how the style of the film changes as time goes by and based on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cox/because-there-is-actually-something-very-interesting-in-goodfellas/)

[Alex Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cox/)

> ['Inequality' has become the political theme/slogan of our time in both Europe and the U.S., yet political leaders do not even bother to consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-singer/inequality-has-become-the-political-theme-slogan-of-our-time-in-both/)

[Paul Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-singer/)

[Browse all 4,248 Actually quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actually/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I didn't actually know what a vegetarian was until I was 13 years old. I know in this day and age it's hard to believe that, but I think because I grew up on a farm, I wasn't indulged in magazines, newspapers, Internet, television. And so, for some reason, I was never exposed to what a vegetarian was.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Abbie Cornish"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-cornish/i-didn-t-actually-know-what-a-vegetarian-was-until-i-was-13-years-old/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Actually"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-cornish/i-didn-t-actually-know-what-a-vegetarian-was-until-i-was-13-years-old/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3d/abbie-cornish-16751_actually_i-didn-t-actually-know-what-a-vegetarian_1588278.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3d/abbie-cornish-16751_actually_i-didn-t-actually-know-what-a-vegetarian_1588278.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3d/abbie-cornish-16751_actually_i-didn-t-actually-know-what-a-vegetarian_1588278.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I didn't actually know what a vegetarian was until I was 13 years old. I know in this day and age it's hard…” — Abbie Cornish",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Abbie Cornish",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-cornish/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I didn't actually know what a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-cornish/i-didn-t-actually-know-what-a-vegetarian-was-until-i-was-13-years-old/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-cornish/i-didn-t-actually-know-what-a-vegetarian-was-until-i-was-13-years-old/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```