I sat down on the couch of my dorm common room next to my roommates and browsed Netflix in a search for something to relieve our boredom. Being the nerds we are, we scrolled through the documentary section.

"Blackfish?" No, too depressing. "The Imposter?" Seen it.

Eventually, we came across something we thought might be interesting: "Fed Up."

"Fed Up" is the more refined "Supersize Me." Instead of watching as a man slowly kills himself from eating far too much McDonald's, the 2014 documentary addresses the issues of health and nutrition in our nation by following stories of families attempting to get healthier, delving into the issues of our schools' food and demonizing the food industry. Sounds less disgusting? Yes. Any less scary? No.

Wrapped up in blankets and munching away at popcorn and an array of candy, we watched as we learned that there's one thing to blame for the downfall of health in America, and it was melting on our tongues: sugar.

Sugar is essentially killing us slowly but surely. And it can be found in almost everything.

Instead of watching an interesting documentary, we ended up viewing one that made us rethink our entire lifestyle. By the end of the film, the filmmakers call on you to try going ten days without added sugar, meaning no refined grains, no desserts, no juices or sodas, no ketchup.

As terrified as we were, we knew we couldn't do that, not with meal plans with the university and our heavy addiction to the cause of our demise. However, we could make adjustments.

We started eating more sources of natural sugars like fruits, and avoided obvious sugar culprits like candy and cookies. They were small adjustments, but ones that we felt good about without having to change drastically.

Fast forward a few months. I fell off track with eating well. I was drinking sugary drinks and eating out way more than I should, but as the end of summer faded, I had an idea to kick start my mini health revolution again: No-Soda September.

I figured since I didn't have the willpower to entirely cut sugar out of my life, it would do me well to at least cut out the most harmful sugar. Because the sugar in soda isn't paired with the fiber needed to help your liver process it, the liquid sugar found in soda, sweet teas, coffee and juices converts directly into fat, specifically belly fat. Belly fat, the most dangerous fat, can lead to complications like diabetes and heart disease. I thought cutting that would be a good place to start.

My cousin, who has always helped me stay accountable, partnered with me to experience a month without a dependence on soda. As September draws to a close, this is what I learned from ditching soda.

1. You're going to crave it.

The first few days were hard, especially since I had developed the habit of drinking soda daily at work over the summer. Being back at school with the ability to walk up to the soda fountain at the dining hall and get some Dr. Pepper instead of water made it extremely difficult. And so I replaced my soda addiction with an addiction to ultra-sugary coffee.

2. You'll find loopholes.

Since my cousin and I strictly said no soda, I didn't feel guilty getting that white chocolate mocha from Starbucks before class to wake up or getting that sweet tea from the vending machine between classes when I felt groggy. I went from one form of liquid sugar to the next.

3. You'll be a lot more hydrated.

Since I'm broke, however, a Starbucks coffee or a drink from the vending machine everyday wasn't an option. When I didn't have that substitute, I relied on good old water (which was the original alternative to soda, in theory). I drank much more water than I used to, meaning my skin looked better and I felt more energized.

4. Your sleep schedule will regulate itself.

Without soda in the afternoons or evenings, my body knew when it needed rest. I would get into bed at a decent time for when I needed to wake up, because my body wasn't wired on the caffeine or sugar. My sleep was of a better quality, and I felt well rested in the mornings.

5. You'll stop wanting it.

Eventually, I became slightly less dependent on soda substitutes as the month continued. Of course, an occasional morning coffee was necessary on some days (I'm not superman), but I no longer had to consciously force myself to get water instead of soda when I passed the fountain in the dining hall.

While the journey to health isn't over for me and I didn't ditch sugary drinks altogether, this experience made me feel like I accomplished something. Lately I've been making healthier choices in general by eating more fruits and vegetables and trying my best not to eat fried foods regularly.

For now, I plan on ditching soda for a long time. It certainly has been worth the sacrifice.