I never got into it and I feel like I'm missing a huge social part of my life. I've tried alcohol and it just tastes bad. Maybe if I had enough to get inebriated I'd feel different, but so far nothing about the experience of drinking has been good. Also I grew up around Baptists who don't have drinking in the culture, so maybe that's part of it? My parents never had alcohol in the house and there was never beer/wine at family gatherings. I never even saw a full glass of beer in person until I was like 23.
Bars are too loud and there's too much expectation to drink, parties have the same problem, drinking at home alone sounds sad. I go to concerts and I'm the only person without a huge glass of beer. People hand me drinks and I'm like "nah" and they get mega confused.
What do I do
Is this the opposite of a problem?
A part of my upbringing was influenced by hearing my maternal grandfather shout back-and-forth at his new spouse he got with after my grandmother passed away. Every night I spent at his house was like this. They got drunk so damn frequently. My father who also treated me terribly had a major problem with alcoholism. His grandfather (or my great grandfather) literally died to alcohol poisoning.
As you can see, alcohol isn't a pretty thing for me. I'm repulsed by it, and I don't go to bars because I know the environment's gonna be terribly awkward. One time I went to an LGBTQ-themed night club, and I couldn't even order a Shirley Temple from the bartender without feeling awkward. Obviously, I agree with @baritone_edge@lemmy.ml's point about socializing. I know you don't have to drink in those kinds of settings, but socially speaking, it's still very uncomfortable to go there if you are non-alcoholic.
I now live a straight edge lifestyle, and I prefer socializing at cafés and everything because the only "drugs" I consume are caffeine and the prescription meds I take every day. For me to say I "hate" drinking (as strong as that word is) seems like an understatement at this point. Alcohol itself is something I can't cease to see as a poison, and the culture around it isn't any better.