Struggling with shots and feeling left out when drinking with friends

I’m a 19-year-old guy and I’ve always had a hard time with taking shots. I don’t know what it is, but I just really struggle with them, and it makes drinking with my friends feel awkward sometimes.

I want to have that relaxed, buzzed feeling with my friends when we’re hanging out, but shots just don’t work for me. I can drink coolers or similar drinks, but I get tired of them really fast—either from the taste or the sweetness—and then I end up stopping way earlier than everyone else. After that I kind of feel left out while everyone else keeps going.

I don’t want to force myself to do something I hate, but I also don’t want to feel like the odd one out every time. Has anyone else dealt with this? What do you do in social situations like this?

Is it better to just accept my limits and stick to what I’m comfortable with, or are there ways to handle the social side of this better so I don’t feel excluded?

Any advice or similar experiences would be appreciated.