I don't think I'd like beer at all. I certainly don't like the smell of it.
I mostly drink water but otherwise I like either fruit juice or at least fruit flavored sodas/kool-aid. Not a fan of colas. And I just plain hate root beer and ginger ale.
OK - beer not for you. Though for what it is worth I don't know many people who liked the taste of beer the first time they tried it. You like fruity stuff? Try a hard cider. Some brands are sweet, some are slightly more bitter but still fruity and very refreshing. But I do agree with the advice above, you don't want to forget you are drinking and make yourself ill. Hell's idea of have a drink before you go out and then staying on non-alcoholic drink when you're out is a good one too.
I totally agree. Stay away from vodka, rum, whiskey bourbon or any of that harder stuff. And since you don't think you will like beer maybe try a nice white wine. Possibly a desert wineas they are a lot sweeter then most wines which make then easier to drink.
Another good idea. Maybe a white wine spritzer?
Fuzzy Navel is a good starter drink. Peach Schnapps and orange juice, 'bout half and half, to your taste. It's light enough to give you that little buzz for liquid courage but not so heavy that you'll be overwhelmed by the intoxication.
I think Schnapps is a bad idea - you may be used to drinking but a measure of Peach Schnapps could get a first time drinker quite tiddley quite quickly. Also it does go down easy, you could be pissed before you know it and that'd be a bad thing.
Dr. Algonquin - I understand that you want a social lubricant to help you talk to people but I'm actually not at all sure that Dutch Courage is the way to go. You have no idea how alcohol will effect you. It makes some people more introverted, others angry, others morose, others gregarious, and so on. In many cases it just serves to accentuate whatever mood you were in in the first place. So you may actually find it makes things worse, not better.
Are there any activities you might enjoy (or at least not hate) that wouldn't involve being in a bar situation? Could you volunteer at a local shelter or charity drive of some kind? Could you join a sports / hobby club in your area? How about your work / school -any social opportunities there?