As human beings we have differing tastes and preferences, some of which may be considered weird to others. Many of them can’t be explained; like why people like the smell of gasoline, chlorine and dry wood. Petrichor, defined as the earthy scent produced when rain falls on dry soil, is adored by many but considered an odd thing to like as well. Most people claim that they simply don’t know the reason as to why they like it, while others say that the scent subconsciously triggers childhood memories where they used to play in the dirt and sometimes eat it. While many people might prefer drinking cold beverages on a sunny day, some may enjoy a warm cup of tea, claiming that it quenches their thirst. My friend Christelle who is a big fan of tea still says if you are cold it will warm you, if you are warm it will cool you, if you are depressed it will cheer you up, if you are excited, it will calm you — ‘it’ being tea. She connects the love of tea even on warm days to the memories of her grandmother who was, to her, a mentor and the most generous person she knew. The biggest debate on food may be whether pineapple is a suitable pizza topping or not. People who don’t like pineapple on pizza will tell you it’s just too juicy. Also, the texture doesn’t go with pizza. But mostly, they don’t like the way it tastes. And, they’d rather stick to the classics, like pepperoni or mushrooms. But the ones that do enjoy will talk about the blending of the sweet and salty flavours as the best thing in the world. “There’s nothing better than the combination of sweet and salty flavours. People can go on arguing about whether pineapple belongs on pizza or not, but I personally think it is the smartest invention in the food world,” Lisa Akamanzi, a regular customer at Pizza Hut, says. Whereas some people cannot explain why they find the smell of a new book pleasant, bookworms have a special reason as to why they love that chemical smell. “Whenever I get the chance to read a new book, it makes me feel like the author of the book wrote the story for me,” says Esther Umunyana, a student at African Leadership University. “The smell of new books gives me a sense of new beginnings, the paper is still fresh and you can still smell the book adhesive,” she adds. “I like the smell of all books, new and old, the smell of a new book means you have the honour of being one of the first people to read it, while the smell of an old book means a lot of people have read the book and it is a nice one,” Marion Uwase, a student at Adventist University of Central Africa, says. These ‘odd things’ have become part of peoples’ daily lives. “I think everybody’s weird. We should all celebrate our individuality and not be embarrassed or ashamed of it,” renowned American movie star Johnny Depp was quoted.
