Studies suggest that people who engage in a variety of new experiences are more likely to be happy. This is because each time we take a leap of faith and try something out, we’re training our brain to remember the positive rewards associated with it. The adrenaline rush, the endorphins, the sense of pride; they’re all stored in our memory banks. But being open to the world also means you might run into something not entirely your alley. So Reddit user Best-Palpitation-915 asked everyone on the platform, “What’s something you tried once and instantly knew it wasn’t for you?” and got plenty of replies!

#1

Living with roommates. Cannot stand it. I’m fine living with a partner, family, or by myself. But a stranger, no thank you.

Image credits: what_is_fondant

#2

I once tried to be a morning person. We both agreed it wasn’t going to work out.

Image credits: Swimming_Twist_3717

#3

Waitressing. I knew instantly I was objectively terrible at it. Quit same day I started.

Image credits: ILikePlantsNow

#4

Tinder (actually online dating in general).

Image credits: Express_Flight_966

#5

Sales. I don’t like convincing people they need things, they can decide themselves lol. Don’t want a phone? Thats cool with me.

My boss once questioned why I didn’t try to push an iPhone 14 onto an old man who came in asking for advice on how to use his flip phone, always loved that one.

The only time I ever had good performance was when I got a lucky streak and the customers came in wanting something already.

Image credits: DriedUpSquids

#6

Manual labor.

My grandfather did construction. One summer he hired me on one of the roofing teams. All it took was one summer running shingles up and down a ladder to convince me to stay in school.

My dainty little IT hands thank you Pop. well played.

Image credits: feralkitten

#7

Gambling. I gambled for the first time against my cousins when I was around 13, I lost 100 bucks, that was a lot for me. Never gambled again since lol.

Image credits: carleezy89

#8

Getting into management…no thank you.

Image credits: whiskey_endeavors

#9

I put on roller blades, stood up, sat down and took them off. Was going to break my damn neck.

Image credits: saytherosary

#10

I was shocked at how much I hate weighted blankets. People say so many good things about them! I put it over me, boom, instant claustrophobia. I don’t even have claustrophobia. Except with weighted blankets.

Image credits: wombatIsAngry

#11

The whole dominatrix thing. Went to some femdom dongeon once in my youth. Before, I was always fascinated by it. But after the second stroke of whip, I just said my safety word and left.

Image credits: kiss_of_chef

#12

Edibles. Didn’t enjoy having my memory wiped every few minutes.

Image credits: galamoth911

#13

Telemarketing.

Image credits: 22Taco

#14

Jogging. I’m in good shape, so it wasn’t solely for health reasons. My dog, who I used to go on long walks with, died mostly of old age. I wasn’t ready to get another dog, so I decided that jogging would be a great hobby. Feeling connected to the neighborhood was a priority for me as I found myself staying at home a lot with no dog to walk.

So I bought decent shoes, did a little research on methods and started jogging just a few blocks a day at first to get into the groove of my new hobby.

Omg I f*****g hated every second of it. There was nothing relaxing or enjoyable about it at all, and I got home every night feeling like I was foolishly making taking a walk punishing rather than fun. About 2 weeks in, I stumbled and fell, scraping my hands up a little. I walked home, put my new shoes in a closet and never jogged again.

I adopted a new dog about a week later.

Image credits: moochir

#15

I’m a bit of an “adventure eater.” I’ll try just about anything.

There is one and only one thing I’ve tried that I will never try again:

Sea squirt sashimi. Besides the terrible, innuendo-filled name, the texture is terrible, you have to chew it off the rind, and it tastes like salted a*****e. I should have known when the waitress came by, saw my plate and said “Oh, is that sea squirt? I’m gonna stand here and watch you eat it.”.

Image credits: Massive-Lab7553

#16

Women.

All my life I thought to be bisexual or pansexual. But I am not. I’m straight as f**k and don’t know how to change the pansexual flag from my account lol.

Image credits: sinchistesp

#17

Working in retail. No thank you.

Image credits: That_Cat7243

#18

Hanging out with coworkers outside of work f**k that.

Image credits: chefboyarde30

#19

Snow skiing. I fell, a lot. I hurt my a*s. I couldn’t figure out how to stand up without falling again. I fell again. I hurt my a*s again. I was freezing. It took me another five minutes to stand up just so I could fall yet again and get even colder. Tiny children were whizzing by me like they were competing in some weird kindergarten version of the X Games. I am not cut out for skiing.

Image credits: Quokka_Queen

#20

Sex with another woman. It was a good time but I realized I am indeed straight.

Image credits: SecretSelenex

#21

What grinds my gears is when i tried something once instantly knew it’s not for me and later came back to it and now it’s the best thing.

Image credits: bonapartista

#22

Horses. They’re beautiful, I rode a very gentle one for a week. But after that week I knew it wasn’t for me. They’re scary.

Image credits: JLP013MusicLover

#23

I had to try it twice. Marriage. There will be no #3.

Image credits: High-flyingAF

#24

The fat on chicken. it’s like chewing a big a*s booger.

Image credits: Educational-Sea1330

#25

Brazilian wax.

Image credits: greenbackpak

#26

Public speaking.

Image credits: 4th_chakra

#27

I tried ballroom dancing once and realized my two left feet have a secret pact to avoid any rhythm. I’m better off sticking to dancing like nobody’s watching—because nobody should be.

Image credits: Plus-Complaint1024

#28

I tried learning Python, programming is incredibly abstract and difficult. My brain just couldn’t proceed, wish I was smarter.

Update: Giving Python another go because the good people of Reddit provided awesome advice/guidance and resources! You guys are a wholesome bunch, thank you!

Image credits: OctoberBooks

#29

I tried scubaa diving once and instantly knew it wasn’t for me too claustrophobic and not enough air!

Image credits: JulieSullivan02

#30

IPA beers. I tried more than I should. Can not get into them. Every now and then someone will say, but you are going to like this one because…
I just say, nope, never met an IPA that I like.

It seems like all the IPAs are taking over most the taps places. Can that many people really like them? Or is everyone scared to be the 1st to say they suck, so they just keep buying them.

Image credits: pohlcat01

#31

REAL camping with no creature comforts of home. Not for me!

#32

The violin. I practiced by force and at my mother’s request for 3 months, I never liked the results.

#33

Adulting. 0 out of 5 stars.

#34

Psychedelics. I was with a bunch of friends when we tried them. Everyone else was enjoying it and losing their minds, while I literally felt nothing. Ended up leaving early and driving home since I literally felt completely sober.

Tried some others another time, and same thing happened. I figured I must be immune to hallucinations or something and never tried them again.

#35

Cigarettes. Yuck.

#36

3some. It’s a lot of work.

#37

Polyamory and threesomes.

#38

LARPing. I’m more comfortable sitting at a table and rolling dice than being at some park with a bunch of dressed up people.

#39

Pegging. Never sat right with me, and neither did I for a few days…

#40

Kissing dudes. I was in a play where I had to kiss another guy. I think everyone has an “uh-oh, what if I end up liking this…” feeling beforehand but the moment I did it it was like “oh, ok, cool, this does nothing for me. Good to know.”.

#41

Oysters, too slimy. Telemarketing, also too slimy.

#42

Sex. Tried it once 25 years ago. Stopped before it progressed (lovely understanding bloke).

Hello asexuality.

#43

Dentistry. Knew my first week of school i did not like touching patients. Went to med school and am now a psychiatrist.

#44

Getting stabbed.

#45

Door to door sales.

My trainer was sleazy as f**k and kept pushing us trainees to be the same. They had taken us out of the city to a nearby town so we didn’t really have a way to get home until the end of the day. There were 2 girls with another trainer who noped out after 30 min and had a friend come pick them up, wish I had known so I could have gone home with them.

#46

VR. Turns out even a little bit of it gives me motion sickness ?.

#47

Strip club. I don’t fully grasp why men of all ages seem to love the idea of watching nude women together. Like, are we going to watch porn and jerk off together too? Also the constant pressure they put on to get you to spend money is anxiety inducing.

#48

Beer. Hated the taste. Was told I had to get used to it. Why do I have to get used to something that taste gross?

#49

Working out in the morning, hard no for me.

#50

I tried to be a morning person everyday TWO YEARS. I got a job that started early in the morning. Even though I pushed through and got up every morning, I still could barley do it!!!!! I was miserable every single day. Complete b******t that you can just train yourself to become one, I literally set an alarm to wake up early every day even on my off days and it was f*****g agony to get up. I’m just not wired to be one.

#51

Boxing. It turns out that getting punched in the face sucks.

#52

Pregnancy. I have one perfect daughter and I’m never ever going through that s**t again!

#53

Coconut water. I love just about anything coconut but a coconut water sample almost made me vomit in the middle of Costco.

#54

Partying at clubs lots of way to drunk people, loud noises and crowded.

#55

Pilates. It felt like torture and I didn’t understand why people did it.

#56

Yoga… thought it’d be all relaxing and zen, but i spent the whole time feeling like a tangled pretzel and realized pretty fast it wasn’t my vibe.

#57

Office jobs, lord please never again .

#58

Dark Souls and any soul-like game, for that matter. No thanks.

#59

Customer service. You’re all a bunch of f*****g babies and I’m not your mom.

#60

Bell peppers. You have 4 flavors and all of them suck?! HOW?!

#61

Nightclubs. Happy for the people who like it, but i do NOT understand the appeal
 .

#62

Matcha and mint chocolate. Idk matcha really taste like grass and mint chocolate, have no words.

#63

Party with a group of people where I only know one.

#64

Sex without emotional feelings involved.

#65

Black licorice.

#66

Teaching middle school. I taught high school for 19 years, moved states and had to take a middle school position for a year.

I instantly realized it was not for me. I thought, “they’re just a few grades lower, how different can they be?”

Completely opposite, exactly. I dragged myself into that school so exhausted and irritable every day. I quickly realized that one middle schooler with bad behavior = 5 high schoolers with bad behavior. My humor went right over their heads. The misbehavior itself was a type of misbehavior I’m not used to. Also, high schoolers sleep. Middle schoolers scream. High schoolers will sometimes be apathetic. Middle schoolers throw things. High schoolers are developing the capacity to think before they speak. Middle schoolers shout whatever comes to mind. High schoolers bully each other online. Middle schoolers bully each other in person in front of a teacher’s face.

I have never gotten so many rude comments as I did when I taught middle school.

#67

A one night stand.

#68

Sports. I like to watch it, but playing it seems pointless to me to be behind a ball haha.

#69

Contacts.

I’d had glasses since the third grade, and in middle school tried contacts. The nice lady at the optometrist kept poking me in the eye getting them in.

#70

Living in western Pennsylvania.