For as long as I can remember, I hated coffee. I despised it. Whenever someone would walk into the classroom with a cup of either hot or iced coffee it would make me nauseated. The smell of coffee breath grossed me out. And the difference between mochas, lattes, cappuccinos, espressos and Americanos just threw my mind into a daze. I constantly found myself thinking, “How could anybody like something like this?”

Then one day, my tastebuds went through metamorphosis. It was a radical change as I found myself standing in line at Caribou ordering an iced coffee. What? I have never had a coffee before and did not know what to expect. Granted, this was my first time and I knew something had to go wrong.

They were out of the iced coffee.

The barista happily delivered the disturbing news to me and offered me an iced Americanos. “Sure?” I said apprehensively. Not knowing that espresso was about 10 times stronger than a normal coffee. So I take the Americano and place a packet of sugar and half a pump of vanilla and went on my merry way with the drink.

I took one sip and was so disgusted by the taste I almost regurgitated it back up. Gross.

A few days later-the barista finally got my order right and delivered the sweet serendipity of an iced decaf coffee with half pump of vanilla with milk. I did not like the taste at first but was determined to make it work. I consumed half of the drink with a piece of stale coffee cake.

Fast forward to two weeks later-iced coffee is a dream. Contrary to what majority of the population says, Starbucks iced decaf is hands down heavenly. I’m not so into the whole frappuccino business, but the straight coffee is bliss. Coming from a yoga class, I cannot help but think about the heavenly sugar filled drink I am about to consume with a warm slice of coffee cake.

So what’s the moral of the story? Please give things a chance. This is just a minuscule event in my life but really made me determined to give things a chance-no matter how much I may dislike them. The idea is that the more you try things, the more you get used to them and the easier they become. Within two weeks, I went from hating coffee to looking forward to it. You never know what you may find that you end up loving in life.

P.S-If anybody brings me a tall iced decaf with half pump of vanilla, almond milk, one pack of sugar and light ice… I will love you forever.