In today's society, it is almost impossible to find individuals who take their coffee without cream or sugar, let alone actually enjoy the taste of black coffee. I won't lie, it takes a strong amount of dedication and self-control not to pour a gallon of delicious creamer into one's coffee, but trust me when I say that switching to black coffee has quickly become one of the best choices I've made in my life-probably even better than deciding to slave away in college.

Ever since I decided to switch my coffee drinking habit, I have found no difficulty in loving black coffee just as much, if not more, than any sugary coffee drink you can find at your nearest Starbucks. The only difficult -and at most times frustrating- part of drinking my coffee black is all the hate that I seem to get for no reason at all. People, especially college students, are so quick to judge me for loving the taste of black coffee. I'm sorry I find joy in being able to taste what coffee should taste like, I'm sorry for drinking unsweetened sugar water and being healthy. I'm sorry I don't feel like spending half of my paycheck on Starbucks and it's somehow famous half foam half sugar "coffee" drink. I already spend too much money on my education, without having to spend an unnecessarily large amount of money on coffee.

The beauty of black coffee is simple. I like the taste of the actual coffee bean. I was once asked, "Why do you not like flavored coffees, do you not have a favorite flavor like caramel or vanilla?" My answer was simple and did not take much thought. "My favorite flavor of coffee is coffee." People tend to forget that coffee in itself is a flavor. I simply do not understand why people find the flavor of black coffee so revolting. If you do find black coffee terrible and would never drink it yourself, I beg you to not make me feel bad about loving it. Just because you cannot handle the taste of pure, unadulterated caffeine does not mean that you should shame those who do.

Now, you might think me a hypocrite, because I did spend a good amount of my article disliking sugary coffee drinks, but I'm not. I do not point out to people when they get flavored iced coffees or any other coffee beverage, how much I dislike that drink. I keep quiet and let them enjoy themselves as I would like to do when I order my coffee black.

Next time you see me drinking a pitch black cup of coffee, please don't comment on it. Let me live my life in blissful, dark-roast existence.