People who drink coffee: why did you start?
I don't drink coffee and I've never wanted to, but that's obviously ~not normal~, so I'm curious why most people do start drinking it.
Additional question: People who don't drink coffee, why?
For me, it's because, as a child, I was incredibly cranky, and as soon as caffeine-free Coke was introduced, Mom had me start drinking that, and, hey, I got a lot less crabby, so that made me want to avoid caffeine. I also never really cared for the smell of coffee, either, so had absolutely no interest in drinking even decaf.
(and yes I am very aware that "it makes me feel better" and "love the way it smells" are top answers in why people do drink it XD)
I was in a Barnes & Noble as a teenager and had a free sample of some kind of espresso thing that was like 90% whipped cream and chocolate syrup in a shot glass. So then I found out I could enjoy coffee provided it wasn't at all like how my parents drink it (with a splash of 2% milk and nothing else), and it really helped me stay up. So basically throughout all of college and law school and my first year of work, I'd have some kind of very sweet latte thing if I was out somewhere and they were available, and black tea when I had to make it myself.
I ended up having to transition to tea full-time once the pandemic hit and I didn't have a way of making my own lattes. So now coffee is REALLY strong for me and I only have it on occasion.
I already have a ridiculous caffeine problem without coffee, so that’s why I haven’t picked it up now, but the reason I never started drinking coffee is that the smell of brewing coffee makes me anxious. Which, I know how weird that sounds, but: my father gets up for work at 3.30am, and has done every morning since I was too young to remember. His coffee pot is on an automatic timer so it starts brewing about three minutes before his alarm goes off.
I grew up in a compact house without the ability to close my door at night. I am also, by nature, a night owl. So when I could smell the coffee brewing, it meant two things: 1) I’d been up way too late and 2) I was about to get caught. So I’d race to put my book away and turn out the light and snuggle down so it looked like I was asleep all in the two-ish minute window between smelling coffee and dad’s alarm going off.
To this day, nearly twenty years later, the unexpected smell of brewing coffee sometimes sets off a panic button in my chest.
