A cup of black coffee brewing from our dated Keurig machine tucked in the corner of my kitchen counter is definitely a familiar smell on a weekend morning in my house.
In fact, some of my fondest memories are of slow Saturday mornings, my dad sitting in the same black track pants and Angry Birds shirt that I bought for him from the Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut while watching Premier League Football, sipping coffee from a faded mug that somehow fit the curl of his fingers around the handle perfectly.
While these flashbacks into my childhood are sweet and comforting, one thing is for sure: the smell of coffee is anything but those endearing descriptors.
This brings me to today’s topic of discussion: I am not a coffee drinker – and I want to keep it that way.
Yes, I was initially resistant to coffee in my middle and high school years because the smell of the drink was simply unappetizing.
Early on, I always felt isolated and disappointed that I could not allow myself to like coffee (or coffee-adjacent drinks) like my dad and my friends.
For some reason, drinking coffee seemed to be a social event that I could not quite fit into.
During dance competitions, my whole team would find the nearest Starbucks and walk there together, chatting about the different lattes or Frappuccinos or iced coffees that they saw their favorite YouTuber drink, so therefore they just had to try it.
While I would join in on the journey, I always felt awkward when it was my turn to order in line and I just stepped out of the way. Why can’t you like coffee like everyone else?
When my orchestral quartet would practice on early mornings in high school, the other three members would take turns driving to Tim Hortons to get drink orders for the group to wake up for our 6:30 a.m. rehearsals (good morning, Handel).
Every week, without fail, I would send my “no thanks” text, and every week, without missing a beat, they would all respond with shock and disappointment.
How do you get up in the morning without caffeine?
Have you tried every drink on the menu?
How do you actually know you don’t like coffee?
I didn’t like it at first either, but the more you drink it, the better it gets.
I will admit, as pathetic as it sounds, I felt uncomfortable with the fact that I could not get myself to like coffee.
Now, in my more “adult” (ish) years, I am a proud non-coffee-drinker. I find the absence of coffee from my life actually adds some health and financial perks that definitely outweigh the social pressure of getting a coffee with friends.
For starters, I am not reliant on anything to wake up and get my day going.
Now, I am not a morning person by any means (in fact, I am by far the least morning person in my college house…sorry to my roommates), but I love that I can get up ten minutes before class, throw on an outfit and get out the door without needing to have a cup of coffee or drive to the nearest drive-thru to buy one.
Instead, my body has to face the consequences of poor sleep habits without any support. If I choose to stay up late on my phone, then my body and mind will really feel it the next day.
While that shock to my system sucks, it reminds me of the importance of good sleep, which sends me into a better sleep schedule going forward.
I also appreciate that I do not have to worry about my body fighting me if I “forget” to drink coffee. I already have enough headaches in my life…I don’t need a caffeine-induced one to plague my afternoons.
Another upside to not drinking coffee every day is the financial side of the conversation.
I don’t have to get up and spend seven dollars to feel wide awake. I also don’t have to add coffee, creamer, or sugar to my grocery list each week.
I don’t need it, so I don’t buy it. It’s really as simple as that.
Finally, and arguably the most important reason that I am glad I don’t drink coffee, I don’t think my anxiety could take the caffeine.
I already wake up most mornings with an elevated heart rate and some nerves in my stomach, so adding a cup of coffee to that mix would probably send me into full-blown panic attacks by ten in the morning.
I am a much better version of myself when I am diligent about my water intake, have a solid breakfast, and give myself enough time to get ready for the day without rushing or worrying about my schedule or the clock.
I’d like to think that my life without coffee allows me to be a little bit less wired than I would with that caffeine in my system.
Do I still get jealous from time to time when someone online or in class has a nicely crafted iced coffee that seems to make their day? Duh.
But, I’m (for the most part) happy to be a non-coffee-drinker.
It helps my mind, body, and bank account.
And I can still indulge in the nostalgic scent of a freshly brewed cup of coffee at home without needing to reach for a mug – how lucky am I!