As a religious, straight edge kid, I've never done any of the cool things in highschool. for example, smoke, weed, drink, etc. Thus I would find myself often bored at parties where everyone was doing those things. Now  that I'm in Uni, its a bit different, since I don't have much time for parties, and I have more friends like me. anyways, the reasoning behind these activities have always left me bewildered, mainly alcohol. 
 
Why drink alcohol? 
When I think of this question, I start thinking of why I drink the drinks I drink. whether it be juice, or pop, or water. The main reason humans drink is for quenching thirst and nourishment. but since we are so advanced, we make up drinks that also taste good! Thus, our basic need is satisfied so we have the luxury of satisfying said need while also enjoying it. Awesome, sign me up. so we have these drinks like juice and what not. And I guess thats why i drink those things, for the taste. But is this why people drink alcohol? I understand wine might have fine taste, hell theres a whole science to it. but what about beer? It smells like shit, and no one I know tells me that beer tastes good. So it cant be the taste that people drink it.  
 
So the obvious answer would be to get drunk. For some reason people enjoy losing control. I would find it terrifying. On top of that they throw up, wake up hung over, teenagers even need to acquire the alcohol illegally. WHY?! just to get drunk? This makes no sense to me. any teenagers here, can you indulge me and answer my question?  
 
But being drunk cant be the only reason. Older men drunk beer when they are watching the game, or just chilling. So its not to get drunk. then why? Do they get used to the taste and enjoy it? Or is it to get a bit tipsy? I really don't understand. I'm sure many people here drink and know the answer to my question so please help me. 
 
I can understand why people drink wine. Science recently discovered that a glass of wine a day is healthy for you. But drinking beer still blows my mind. Considering the fact it doesn't taste good, it damages your body, and its addicting. why? unless beer truly does taste good and everyone I talk to is confused.  help me out here guys

First of all you do know that pint of beer a day is just as healthy as a glass of wine?
 
It's a acquired taste kinda like olives. Don't say they taste like shit just because you don't like them.

" Don't say they taste like shit just because you don't like them. "

Alcohol is a great tool for loosening people up.  It gets people to be more social.  It's also fun to get drunk and grind on some girl at a club after a hard week of work/class.  For high school kids alcohol and drugs are popular because the age-old adage that whatever is illegal or taboo is something they have to try.  If there are laws against it, of course teenagers are going to break them.  
 
In terms of taste, for some people they really do enjoy the taste of certain drinks.  For me personally the only alcohol/cocktails I've ever found to actually be pleasant to drink are white russians and Southern Comfort.  My brother drinks disgusting Fat Tire beer all the time and he loves it.  My dad loves whiskey.  

I think beer is easily the best tasting beverage out there.
Don't get me wrong, I like getting drunk and all but probably 7 outta every 10 beer I drink is for taste.
And like Dust said, beer isn't bad for you in a moderate amount.
 
Personally, I think pop tastes like shit, and it's horrible on your body, so why do people drink that?

" I think beer is easily the best tasting beverage out there. Don't get me wrong, I like getting drunk and all but probably 7 outta every 10 beer I drink is for taste. Personally, I think pop tastes like shit, and it's also horrible for your body, so why do people drink that? "

" First of all you do know that pint of beer a day is just as healthy as a glass of wine?  It's a acquired taste kinda like olives. Don't say they taste like shit just because you don't like them. "

" @ProfessorEss said:

" I think beer is easily the best tasting beverage out there. Don't get me wrong, I like getting drunk and all but probably 7 outta every 10 beer I drink is for taste. Personally, I think pop tastes like shit, and it's also horrible for your body, so why do people drink that? "

yeah? Well my questino is only valid since most people tell me they dont like the taste of beer. but if you enjoy it then it makes sense "

" @dustbunny: so beer gives the person a relaxing feeling? "

" @arab_prince said:

" @ProfessorEss said:

" I think beer is easily the best tasting beverage out there. Don't get me wrong, I like getting drunk and all but probably 7 outta every 10 beer I drink is for taste. Personally, I think pop tastes like shit, and it's also horrible for your body, so why do people drink that? "

yeah? Well my questino is only valid since most people tell me they dont like the taste of beer. but if you enjoy it then it makes sense "

I'm curious about your age, not in the judgmental way, but because most of my friends that truly love the taste of beer like I do didn't get there until somewhere into their twenties. Like wine, coffee, and salty licorice it takes time to develop the taste for it.  That being said, a good question is why did we keep drinking this terrible tasting stuff until we started to like it? The answer to that, was to get drunk. "

Some people enjoy the taste of beer, while I personally don't there's plenty of drinks that I do enjoy the taste of. Just find one you do and stick to that.
 
As for the loss of control, wel some people do enjoy that but in moderate amounts alcohol just gives a mild feeling of euphoria and a pleasant dizziness. Try having a few beers/ciders/ shots of vodka at the next party/ next time your out with a friend and see the effects first hand. A couple of drinks isn't going to make any adult do anything stupid.

Get drunk and see why people get drunk

I love the taste of beer. Then againt I love many bitter drinks, grapefruit etc. and I don't eat and drink much sweet stuff.
 
Wine is alright but I usually avoid it because it makes you sleepy really fast.

I enjoy certain beers, wine, some spirits, depends on what i feel like.  I drink only a couple times a month, and usually just a few beers or something to relax with some friends.  Everything in moderation. 

Well, it's hard to explain to someone who hasn't tried getting drunk why it can be fun/nice to do so. Thing is, you really have to try it yourself to find out why people do it. Some people like it, others don't, I'm kind of at a middlepoint. I enjoy it sometimes, and sometimes I don't, but that may be because I often make the mistake of drinking too fast :P.

my first alchohol experience was wit two beers and a shot of whiskey . I didn't feel a thing :? Like I just drank water . It lead me to believe that alcohol is really overrated

I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with drinking, but the drinking culture in college is a little retarded.  Drinking to get drunk is "cute" when you're 20, but if you did the same thing when you're 40 then they call you an alcoholic.  I will say, I think people like the taste because they associate it with inebriation.  Like if you got a blow job ever time you got punched in the face, you'd love getting punched in the face.  The taste of beer is obviously not like getting punched in the face, but I just wanted to make than analogy. 

Why do you drink?  TO GET DRUNK
Why do you roll smokes? TO GET STONED
 
Obviously people do these things because they are enjoyable....why, what did you think the reason was?

Alcohol loosens your inhibitions and lets you feel freer.  Worries are pushed aside and a pleasant giddy feeling replaces them.  People drink to unwind after a long day at work, or for some "liquid courage" at a party or on a date.  I'm sure some people drink because it make them feel more "adult".  Getting drunk is the ultimate stage to all of these experiences.  When you are drunk, your inhibitions are not only loosened, but completely gone.  Any action that would be flatly refused is excepted vigorously.  People find themselves dancing on tables, picking fights with much larger gentlemen and having unprotected sex with unattractive women.  This may sound horrible, but for some it is liberating.  Sometimes people need to break the rules and live dangerously.  To live free, devoid of hesitation and regret is a difficult thing for most people to do, however with a little alcohol in their system, they can have that adventure at least for a little while.   
 
I personally don't consume any alcohol anymore, but I've had my taste buds satisfied in my youth.

I wouldn't drink to get drunk, because if you do that you will be too aware and it doesn't work like a switch of "I'm not drunk and having no fun" DING "Now I'm drunk and having a great time", but I find being drunk makes me more sociable and often leads to funny events and such.
 
I used to be very "I don't need a drink to have fun" but I realised that like drugs, if you do it responsibly it can complement and evening.

As you get into your early 20s your taste buds do actually change you loose the affinity for overly sweet things and develop a taste for bitter tastes. This is why kids hate vegetables but love candy.
 
As you get older, you can appreciate tastes like coffee, beer, dark chocolate, etc.
 
Beer does taste good, but is an acquired taste, like the other things I mentioned above. Wine is also an acquired taste really.
 
Lots of people drink to get drunk (but if you're going to do that, beer is the worst way to do it - hard liquor is more efficient and you don't feel bloated and crappy). I don't. I have gotten drunk, but very rarely. I drink because loosening up a little bit with alcohol has it's advantages and it's appeals. For one, a stiff drink can take the edge off a rough day. It can lower your inhibitions enough to get on the dance floor, or talk to that hot girl.
 
I was a lot like you and didn't touch alcohol during high school because all I saw around me were people getting wasted, and that didn't appeal to me. As I got older, I realized that being completely opposed to all alcohol kind of cuts you off from a lot of social experiences. You don't get invited to parties, or bars, etc because a lot of times your friends just think you won't enjoy it. After all, having a beer with "the guys" after a long day, while watching sports, etc is one of the basic social interactions.
 
It actually didn't take me long to appreciate the taste of beer (I love the taste). Having a cocktail with dinner or on a date is great too (and doesn't have to taste strong or bitter, depending on what you order).
 
Drinking doesn't have to be about getting drunk. it can be about just loosening up a little bit or even just about not cutting yourself off from social experiences. Don't be afraid of it.

I actually like the taste of "some" beer. Usually, I don't drink to get drunk, it's usually to just unwind a little after work. That being said, everybody is different and it may very well be that you may never like beer.

I remember when I was a teenager and thought that I knew everything.  It's only in retrospect that I realize how much of an asshole I sounded like.
 
Beer, for me, was an acquired taste.  And by that I mean that when I acquired good beer, it actually tasted good.  Now I'm a total beer snob, but I can't get enough of it - in moderation of course.  A lot of wines are absolutely fantastic, as are many of the varieties of hard liquors.  I used to hate rum, but - like beer, wine, vokda, gin, etc. - I found one that tasted great.  Now I like rum.

Thought it was pretty easy why people like it. 
 
It gets your drunk, and if you mix right, it tastes good.

Why not drink alcohol? 

The problem with alcohol isn't the alcohol itself, it's the people. So many people don't know their limits and turn into complete dickheads. Go on any student focused night out in England and you'll be walking through pools of vomit and collapsed scumbags by 4am. I wish I was joking or even exaggerating.

you wont lose control from drinking a few beers 
 
 but  arab_prince you have to try drinking at least a few times so you know what its about

lets see. everyone drinks alcohol to get drunk.  but that means different things for different people.   i personally only drink hard liquor, like vodka or tequila and shit like that.   it makes me more sociable and fun to be around ive heard haha.  but also you forget about things that might be troubling you and lets you relax a little bit.   i dunno thats just me

Here's a teenager who likes to get drunk sometimes' answer.  First of all, if you haven't been drunk, then you have no comprehension of what it feels like.  And if millions of people like to do it, obviously there's something fun about it.  Personally I enjoy losing a little control and acting like an idiot.  That being said, alcohol doesn't suddenly turn you into a raving lunatic with 40 IQ and loose morals.  You have to already be an idiot for that to happen.  It's just fun man, I dunno.  It's a different kind of fun than any other experience can give you.  Honestly, I think everyone should get drunk once just to see how it is, so they can have some perspective.  Our class is planning senior skip day and a bunch of people are freaking the fuck out about the probable chance of alcohol being there, and it's really pissing me off. 
 
Edit:  And by the way, you don't always throw up and wake up hung over.  It's pretty easy to avoid both of those things and still get drunk.  To avoid throwing up, you don't drink an excessive amount, just like 4 shots.  To not get hung over, you drink a bunch of water along with the alcohol, because being hung over is basically just excessive dehydration caused by the alcohol, which as i said, can be avoided by drinking water. 
 
Also, your friends are correct.  Beer tastes like shit.  That's why i drink vodka.  Cause you don't have to drink nearly as much to get drunk.

I'm 24 and don't drink. Not for religious reasons, more philosophical reasons I suppose. I personally don't like having my mind altered by any sort of substance. I was once on an allergy medication that made me loopy and hated every minute of it. I even had a panic attack in the middle of the night once. My feeling is, if I can't have fun somewhere or talk to someone without the help of drugs, then it isn't worth my time in the first place. It will be difficult for you at time in college if you choose not to drink. You can feel very alone, but at the same time, you just have to realize that alcohol is legal and it is every person's right to drink it (responsibly). I feel the same about weed. I'd never touch it, but if you want to in your home and don't drive afterward, that's your call. Most college kids are idiots. It's their first time away from home and they decide it is super cool to have parties every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Either don't go, or find a way to have fun there without drinking. Having another non-drinking buddy is always good. Finally, anybody who judges you for not drinking should not be your friend (the same goes for them if you are judging someone else for drinking).

I drink once a week, and hit it hard. Playing SF drunk is good times, especially against friends. Makes for funny ass youtube videos as well!

" @dustbunny: well I never tried it, like i said. I just hear it tastes bad. But is that the reasoning behind a man, going tot eh beer store to buy a 6 pack? "I need my dose of beer to keep me alive and kickin" I'm asking the reasoning behind peoples choices to drink beer. "

I'm a teenager and I will answer your question.  
 
I drink for two reasons. One is because I like my alcohol and two is to get drunk. I grew up/am growing up in a Portuguese family and for as long as I can remember all members of my family are wine fanatics. They analyze the taste, smell, texture, color, everything. They enjoyed it and when I turned 15 my Mom started to teach me the ways. Now I drink with her whenever she drinks whether it's martinis, wine, beer or whatever else. We like it, it's like drinking juice or beverages like that, you drink them because you like the taste. 
 
As for getting drunk, I rarely do that for one reason... It takes a lot of alcohol to get me tipsy and a bunch more to get me good and drunk. I don't lose control when I'm drunk, I have plenty of other drugs that can really make me go out of control (PCP). Getting drunk is just a way to have stupid fun. It's much different than sober stupid fun. I don't throw up when I'm drunk or when I'm hung over and when I am hung over, I just eat a greasy breakfast and smoke some weed to remove the nausea and headache and then I'm golden, or at least almost. 
 
As others have said, it's an acquired taste, you kind of have to force yourself through the initial bitterness and whatnot, but once you have acquired the taste alcohol is a beautiful thing.

jesus christ man. i would fucking hate to hang out with you and your friends. wtf do you guys do on a friday night? sit around playing videogames and shit? go get fucking drunk already. and go fucking smoke a joint. you're in college, the time is now to do these things. its a better time to try than in high school thats for sure. 

I only drink hard liquor, but I have gotten a bit tired of getting drunk so I only have two or three shots worth of it. 
 Why do I drink? I find the head buzz to be enjoyable and the socializing that goes with drinking is always a chilled out experience.
 
If you ever start partying and drinking heavily, it will probably get pretty old in about a year or so.

" jesus christ man. i would fucking hate to hang out with you and your friends. wtf do you guys do on a friday night? sit around playing videogames and shit? go get fucking drunk already. and go fucking smoke a joint. you're in college, the time is now to do these things. its a better time to try than in high school thats for sure.  "

I kind of share your bafflement at the  buzz surrounding alcohol.  For me, the high that it offers is more uncomfortable than fun.
 
I drink very lightly, mostly sake or wine with a meal.  I used to drink heavily in high school, even stole a great deal of alcohol for friends before I was of age.  But once I was legally able to buy it, I'd already moved on to weed.  I don't enjoy being drunk, for me drunkenness is a huge headache, stomach in knots, and general discomfort.  I feel fine with a little buzz though, which is as far as I take it these days.

I think I'm one of the only ones in my school that hasn't consumed large amounts of alcohol.

I don't drink beer because my body can't handle it, and i don't smoke weed because i don't like the idea of it. But i do love me some whiskey.

I don't know where you're getting your info from, but most beer tastes pretty damn good to me. If I didn't enjoy the taste I wouldn't drink it.

I was in the same boat as you OP, but now I'm married with two kids.  When I was your age I didn't really see the pro's of drinking as all I'd heard about where the negative effects or lame justifications from those of my peers who did drink.  Plus it was a way of separating myself from a crowd in high school I didn't particularly enjoy hanging out with.
 
First drink was sake' (holy crap, bleh) when I was about to turn 21 at a new years get together.  Right now, I drink socially with my friends and enjoy anything from a LIT at a restaurant, to Rum and Coke w/ a cigar or a beer and pizza with some video gaming or dungeons and dragons.
 
If you're still curious about drinking and it's effects when you turn 21, get you some friends you already enjoy hanging out with (and who are of legal age) and do what you usually do together, only add alcohol (unless what you usually do is attend church singings or something).  In moderation, it can be a great tool to relax and another way to enjoy the company around you.  That is until you find the guy who turns into a douche with alcohol.
 
Good luck!