Most people love to party, especially when drinking is involved. However, before you Google ”liquor store near me” and head to the party with arms full of alcohol. You should take the time to understand how you can enjoy a night of drinking safely.

Here are 12 tips for safe drinking.

1. Know What is in Your Drink

When you are at a party drinking, it is important to ask yourself “Could what I am drinking come from a liquor store near me? If the answer is no, meaning that the drink was likely made in-house, you should stay away from it. These drinks could contain a very high concentration of alcohol or even drugs.

2. Only Accept Drinks From Close Friends

For the same reason as the first tip, you should only accept drinks from close friends. If a stranger or acquaintance walks up to you and offers you a drink, it is best to say no, as you can’t know what may be in the drink.

3. Stay in Touch With Your Friends Throughout the Party

Whether you drove together with friends or met up with them at the party, it is always a safe practice to keep in touch with the ones you know and trust throughout the party. This allows them to check in on you and you to check in on them, ultimately keeping everyone safe and allowing for better decision-making.

4. Eat Before and During

Instead of heading to the liquor store near you to pregame, you should head to a restaurant to put some food in your stomach. Alcohol enters your system through your stomach. If you start drinking on an empty stomach, the alcohol will enter your system quickly, potentially taking you off guard.

5. Understand Your Limits

Before you start drinking, it is crucial to understand your limits. Most sources say that the average healthy adult should not consume more than four alcoholic beverages on a given day. While this is the average, it does not mean it is the same for you. You should base your intake on your age, weight, and height.

6. Keep Track of Your Intake

Once you understand your limits, figure out a way to stay within them. This can be difficult at a party where everyone encourages each other to keep drinking. The best way to stay under the limit you set for yourself is to keep track of your intake. Count your drinks as best you can, and when in doubt, overestimate the amount you have had.

7. Do Not Leave Your Drink Unattended

Do not leave your drink unattended. You never know who may be watching. If you do leave a drink accidentally, do not drink from it.

8. Consistently Evaluate How You Feel

To stay under your limit, you should consistently evaluate how you feel throughout the night. This will allow you to check in on your intoxication and make better decisions as the night progresses.

9. Don’t Participate in Drinking Games

This may go without saying, but drinking games are a one-way ticket to regret. They can cause intoxication much faster than you planned, poor decision-making throughout the night, and a lot of regret in the morning. It is best to stay away from them.

10. Drink Non-Alcoholic Drinks

If you are having trouble slowing down your alcohol intake, you can always have non-alcoholic beverages. This allows your stomach to fill up and your mouth to have a taste while keeping you from reaching your limits sooner than you want to.

11. Do Not Drink and Drive

Since you are practicing safe drinking, you may be the sensible one that gets asked to go get more alcohol if it runs out. As you already know, drinking and driving is something you should never do. So, instead of typing liquor store near me into your phone and driving to get it, just have it delivered.

12. Pay Attention to Any Sudden Changes in the Way You Feel

To have a truly safe night of drinking, you should be leery of drugs and spiked drinks. Many drugs do not have color, taste, or smell and can be put in your drink without you noticing. So, be aware of how you feel and pay attention to any sudden changes. If you feel uncomfortable, leave with a friend immediately.

How To Get Alcohol for Parties

If you are in charge of getting alcohol for the party, don’t just search “liquor store near me”. There are plenty of other options that are both easy and affordable.

Have Fun and Be Safe

Whether you stop by the liquor store near you on the way or get it delivered to the party, you can follow all of these tips while drinking to ensure a fun and safe time for you and your friends. Always drink with close friends, be aware of your limits and how you feel throughout the night, count your drinks, and enjoy having fun the safe way.