I started taking the bus on my own in middle school, so that would be sometime when I was 11-14 years old. I did not like it at all early on, but I ended up over time memorizing the bus routes and timetables for places I needed to go frequently and some routes that I didn't need to use often. I could plan out a trip in my mind almost as quickly as the trip planner app I had for my computer.
However, I prefer taking trips that require no transfers. I prefer to walk more than I want to take a second bus. One transfer is stressful, two transfers really stress me out, and I remember I stopped doing some things I enjoyed doing because from my new location I had to take two buses and the light rail to get to my destination, and minor disturbances in timing could translate into significant lateness.
All that said, if I can get out of using the bus, I will do so. Getting a ride is preferably, as long as the driver knows where they're going and doesn't try to take me down unfamiliar routes and then expect me to give them directions when I'm starting to panic because I have no idea where I am.
When I ride the bus, I prefer the back to the front, I prefer to have a seat to myself, I must have a book so I can read that and ignore the rest of the bus. I will be overloaded by the noise both the people and the bus make, but I haven't had any kind of headphones or earplugs to deal with that in a long time.
I still prefer the bus to having to drive (which I will likely never do).