Winter is finally coming.

After months of suspense and waiting, HBO finally confirmed the final season of “Game of Thrones” will be debuting on April 14. Even better, HBO released an ominous trailer which made fans forgive the network for all of the previous aggravating teasers, which only lasted a few seconds.

If you were like me, your phone blew up with texts from your friends, your Twitter feed was stocked with reactions and your head nearly exploded from excitement about the finale.

If you were on the other side of things, you most likely rolled your eyes, made a joke about the fans of the show or found some other way to exhibit your distaste for this fan base.

This brings me to my point.

Why do we care about what media, music and literature our peers enjoy? And even more so, why do we care so much to the point where we feel the need to make fun of it if we don’t agree?

Taste in these areas is entirely subjective. It is unique to every person and resonates with some part of that person’s values, interests or life.

Because it is so unique and personal, how do any of us lead ourselves to believe our taste sets the guidelines for what is cool and what is not?

In my more juvenile years, I was the ultimate snob in all of these areas. My dad raised my siblings and me on classic rock, I always had my head in a book and I got a rush every time I found a plot hole in a mainstream television series or movie. I was on a high horse despite being in recovery from an obsession with the most mainstream book series at the time: “Twilight.” Thinking you are the one who can label what’s cool and what’s not cool is kind of like giving yourself your own nickname; it is the farthest thing from cool. Sometimes, I still catch myself about to give a lighthearted jab to my friends for liking country music and Nicholas Sparks’ movies and books.

We have all been on both sides of this battle over taste.

Just because someone’s taste is different than yours does not mean it is bad or that you are better. It just means you’re different. And that’s all.

This realization comes with age. The older we get, the more comfortable we get with ourselves and the people we already have surrounding us. We feel less inclined to impress others and instead, choose to focus on ourselves.

If we spent our time trying to understand why someone may enjoy a certain genre of music, book series or television show instead of using it to make fun of or judge someone, we would learn something about them. We may even begin to adapt to their tastes and add it to our own palettes.

Carole Hodorowicz is a senior journalism major. She can be reached at 581-2812 or cdhodorowicz@eiu.edu.