“Yo, why are these Hot Cheetos sooooo spicy?,” I exclaimed, rushing to get some water.

My friends, Allen and Jason, just laughed, “You think this is spicy? You’re WEAK!”

This exchange in 5th grade obliterated my self-confidence and ruined all chances I had of an innocent childhood. For the next couple years, I lived a lifeless bland life. I only ate baguettes, rice, and carrot sticks. Pepper shakers scared me. Sriracha gave me flashbacks. Don’t even get me started on Chipotle chicken. Everywhere I went, I cowered at the mention of spice.

However, this all came to an end freshman year. My mom was listening to some e-book in the car about having a “growth mindset.” At the same time, I was courageously munching on some jalapeño cheddar potato chips because that’s all we had left in the pantry. As I ate, I observed, “this isn’t as spicy as I thought.” Imbued with the motivational aura of the self-help book, I declared my quest to build some tolerance to spicy foods.

Step 0.5) Buy some chapstick to create a barrier between spicy foods and my irritable lips.

Step 1) Use some Lao Gan Ma.

For those that don’t know, Lao Gan Ma is a spicy chili condiment that sits in the back of every Chinese persons’ fridge. It’s not the spiciest thing in the world, but it has some heat. When I ate at home, I tried to incorporate low amounts of Lao Gan Ma whenever it made sense, for example, using it as a sauce for my dumplings. Gradually, Lao Gan Ma became less and less spicy. I was ready for the next step.

Step 2) Upgrade from REGULAR Cheetos to HOT Cheetos

I was back to the snack that started it all. Allen and Jason ridiculed me years ago, but now I was ready. During any opportunity to grab junk food, my go-to was Hot Cheetos. Road trip rest stop? Hot Cheetos. Party snacks? Hot Cheetos. Garnish for a gingerbread house? Hot Cheetos. I still consider Hot Cheetos to be decently spicy, but they’re definitely manageable now.

Step 3) Hot Ramen

I wouldn’t say ramen is my go to snack, but I do enjoy the MSG-packed meal. An obvious step in my spice journey was to ditch the lame chicken flavored Top Ramen for the relatively spicy Shin Ramen. I progressed from half the packet of seasoning to the full packet of seasoning. My midnight snacks left my mouth on fire, keeping me awake as I studied for the next few hours. Overtime, I harnessed the heat, leading me to my next step.

Step 4) Wasabi Time

That green paste that comes with sushi really hits. It’s supposed to kill the bacteria in raw fish, but I saw it as the next beast to conquer. Not only does it hit quick and hard, it feels completely different than the spice from peppers or chilis. While the pepper feels more like a flame burning through your mouth, wasabi strikes like lightning. The strong flavor comes all at once and overwhelms your senses. Normally at sushi restaurants, I steered clear of the wasabi, but in the name of a “growth mindset” I smeared huge chunks of wasabi on my rolls and pushed through the pain onto the next step.

Step 5/Current Step) Hot Wings

My regular order at BDubs is half Honey BBQ and half Lemon Pepper, but on rare occasions when I don’t care about the fate of my gastrointestinal system, I opt for spicier options like Mango Habanero. I’m still working on this one, and it’s tough. If I’m going to spend $20 on wings, I’d rather not ruin my night by burning my tongue off, but sometimes I have to make the sacrifice. 

Anyways, that’s my journey so far. I definitely have a long way to go before I’m chowing down on Carolina Reapers or snacking on ghost peppers, but I’ve dramatically increased my tolerance over the past few years. I just want to thank Allen and Jason Gu for crushing my soul in 5th grade, for I have been reborn even stronger from the flames.