I used to drink soda alot as a kid until I found out it's very bad for your stomach lining, bones, gall bladder and causes cases of notorious myopia and lots of other problems related to the cornea, retina, etc. That and it gives you serious diabeties.
Now if I'm invited to some dinner and all they have is soda to drink, I really have no other choice but I usually end up choosing sprite to drink. That's why it's called a soft drink! Drink it softly. But I'd rather not drink it at all.
Mountain water, homemade orange juice, all types of tea, just about anything else besides soda soothes my soul.