Counseling Center

Strategies to lower the risk of your drinking

• Set a drinking limit near BAC .05
• Experiment with drinking less and refusing drinks
• Keep track of how much you consume by counting “standard drinks”
• Eat before and while you are drinking (eating after doesn’t help much)
• Be cautious when drinking liquor or mixed drinks due to high alcohol content
• Alternate alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks
• Avoid drinking games
• Never leave your drink unattended
• Don’t drink too much too fast
• Don’t use alcohol with stimulants such as energy drinks
• Space your drinks over time
• Don’t drink while you’re sick or on medications
• Don’t drink as a method of escaping or coping with stress – it’s not effective or helpful

Strategies to lower the risk associated with activities and settings

• Select a designated driver who will not drink that night
• Don’t drive after drinking
• Refuse to ride in a car with an intoxicated driver
• Don’t operate machinery after drinking alcohol
• Be cautious in settings where large quantities of free or low-cost alcohol are available
• Have an exit plan in mind before attending a drinking event
• Don’t play sports after/while drinking alcohol
• Don’t swim after drinking alcohol
• Avoid drinking on rooftops, by open windows on upper floors, or by cliffs
• Avoid drinking in remote areas
• Let a nondrinker know where you will be if you go out drinking

Strategies to lower the risk associated with social situations

• Be prepared to refuse assertively when pressured to drink more than you want
• Keep in mind that choosing not to drink is always a legitimate choice
• Practice ways to be comfortable in social situations without drinking
• Spend more time with friends who don’t drink heavily
• Be aware of the legal risks of underage drinking
• Be aware of university policies about drinking
• Use the “buddy system” to watch out for each other
• Take appropriate action if a friend passes out
• Be cautious about drinking too much on dates, or where sex is a possibility
• Don’t let others get you a drink or mix a drink for you