During your freshman orientation, you probably went to lectures and received pamphlets about all the dangers of drinking and binge drinking, and maybe even felt pretty guilty about your first few nights on campus. But we’re going to try to be honest with you: a lot of college students drink, and maybe even drink a little too much, but that doesn’t mean you’re a raging alcoholic or will continue to drink at the same rate and in the same quantities once you graduate. On the other hand, depending on your family history, your mental health, and other factors relating to friends, relationships, schoolwork and general stress, it can be easy to fall into a damaging cycle of drinking too much and too often. Plus, drinking a lot makes you fat and increases your chances of doing something stupid or embarrassing. So whether you’re concerned with preserving your mental health, your study ethic, or your weight, here are some tips for keeping your drinking in check, even as a rowdy, fun-loving college student.

Try writing down every time you drink and how much you drink. This exercise can be really difficult and even embarrassing, but you don’t have to show anyone else your record. Just keep a scratch piece of paper in your desk, and don’t slap a big title like "Days I Drink" on the top. Discovering exactly how much you drink and when you drink will help you come up with a plan to cut back gradually. For instance, if you realize that you start drinking every Tuesday at 6p.m. and have four beers that night, try starting just one hour later — and drinking one less beer — that week. Starting out slow is the easiest way, and will help your chances of sustaining long-term success.

Another easy trick is to limit the amount of alcohol in your refrigerator. Just as someone who’s trying to lose weight won’t keep ice cream in their freezer, you can remove the temptation to drink by keeping alcohol in your dorm or apartment. Commit to buying alcohol only if you’re heading to someone’s party or out to bars. Or, you can vow to only keep alcohol in your refrigerator on weekends.

If you live on campus, you’re surrounded by distractions and alternatives to drinking. You may feel like alcohol is all around you, but for as many booze-fueled study breaks and roommates’ drinking games as you see, there are just as many sober — and still fun — activities going around. Join a club, an intramural sports team, or even a study group if you’re having a hard time filling up your evenings with something besides alcohol.