Article: If you're at a house party, get acquainted with the people who own the house and its facilities. Know where the bathroom is. Find a secluded place and choose to keep your shoes or coat there (but never your purse or wallet). If you find that you are losing control, quickly make an excuse ("I left my phone in my coat pocket!") and go to that secluded place to calm down and/or to dump drinks. If you need to get home, find the house owners and ask them to call a taxi or to arrange for a sober person to take you home.  If you're in a public place, make note of all of the exits upon your arrival. You should do this instinctively in case of an emergency such as a fire outbreak so that you know in advance the closest point of exit. It is also helpful to know where the nearest cab rank or public transportation stop is located to the place you're at. Don't make things harder for yourself; always have an exit strategy. Make sure you know how to get home by heart. If you get drunk to the point of losing your memory, your self-preservation will be as impaired as your inhibitions and you may become easily lost. If you don't know how to get home, you probably shouldn't go out drinking. Always remember that you're drinking to enjoy and have fun, not to show off. The whole point of drinking is to enjoy the drink, enjoy the company and feel free. You don't need to "keep up," or engage in stupid competitions that could ruin the night and even friendships. If you're hanging out with people who encourage you to drink more even though you don't want to, then you're hanging out with the wrong people. If you really want people to stop bugging you about why you're not drinking more, hold a club soda or Coke in your hands and put a lime in it so people will think you're driving and will leave you alone. This is a good short-term solution; the long-term solution is to stay away from people who put unwanted pressure on you. Symptoms of intoxication include feeling a loss of control over your thoughts, blurry vision, slurred speech, and difficulty with maintaining your balance. While this is generally a given, it's important that you don't attempt to drink any more alcohol, even if you feel "better" once you've thrown up. Vomiting is a signal that your body can't take the amount of alcohol that you have consumed and the rejection is your body's last line of defense coming into play. At this stage, you have truly overdone it and it's now time to care about your health rather than your partying. If you feel the urge to vomit, then you should go to a bathroom and do it. Vomiting is a way for your body to release the excess of alcohol that doesn't belong in your system. You shouldn't force yourself to vomit, but you shouldn't hold it in, either. Whether you've thrown up, feel like you might throw up, or just feel terrible, you should lie down on your side to prevent yourself from choking on your vomit if you're lying on your back. Keep a bucket by your mouth and be prepared to throw up if it's necessary. If you find yourself in this unpleasant state, don't go home by yourself -- have a trusted friend stay the night so she can watch over you when you need help.  If you are feeling sick, experiencing headaches or anything feels wrong, tell someone. A responsible person needs to keep a watch over you in case you've developed alcohol poisoning and need medical intervention quickly.  If you see someone else who is really sick lying down, make sure to turn that person over on his or her side, too. Though you may think that alcohol may give you some liquid courage to finally talk to or to hook up with your crush, it can actually impair your decision-making process and can lead you to do something you'll deeply regret later. You can flirt a little, get a guy or girl's number, and check back in when you're sober, but you should avoid going home with anyone you just met, or even just making out at a bar -- it's not classy behavior, and you won't be proud of yourself later. If you've walked into a party and a guy offers you a drink right away, don't accept it unless you see him make it or grab it for you so you know exactly what it's the drink. If the guy just grabs you a beer from a cooler, then that's fine, but if he disappears into the kitchen and returns with a "mystery drink" that may be filled with alcohol or even date-rape drugs, then you'll be in the middle of a very dangerous situation. You don't have to be rude about declining the drink. Just be honest about your reasoning. It's better to look unfriendly than to be in danger. Your drink should be in your hand or at least in your sight at all times, whether you're at a party or at a bar. If you set your drink down and walk away, someone could mess with your drink, or you could even end up picking up a stronger drink by mistake, thinking it was yours. If you get up to go to the restroom, get a close friend to hold your drink for you or take it with you. This will help you avoid anyone tampering with your drink.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Get comfortable with your surroundings. Avoid peer pressure. Stop drinking if you start to feel drunk. Stop drinking if you vomit. Lie on your side if you're feeling sick. Don't make any sexual choices when you've been drinking. Don't accept a drink from a stranger. Don't leave your drink unattended.