Oh, to be that young again!
As a painter stands before the blank canvas, so stand those of us with longer relationships with adult beverages before you now.
If you like Coke, then I say start with what you like. Add some rum to that Coke. Or Jack.
People have mixed reactions to/relationships with gin. Some people get crazy and wake up face down in a gutter with no pants on, and some can drink it all night long without issue.*
If you're looking to dip a toe in the *cough* water before you plunge in, beer can be a safer route than hard stuff because one only needs a modicum of tolerance to alcohol before beer's propensity to make you feel like you just took down a huge prime rib kicks in before the amount of alcohol has you chatting up unattractive members of the opposite sex like they're freakin' supermodels.
Either way, I say find something you can handle over the course of your binge, I mean evening, and stick with it. Then try out different things in various stages of moderation to "add to your palette" so to speak.
Have fun, and bring a DD!
*Not saying to which group I belong.
