[Drbumpy]

Don't let it get to you too much if you go overboard a couple times while you're new to it. A lot of people look back on their freshman year's experience with alcohol as something to be not-exactly-proud-of, so if you end up getting sick a couple times don't feel too embarrassed or guilty about it, especially since you don't really know your limit yet.

-If you know you're gonna be drinking that night, drink water over the course of the day to avoid dehydration later

-Keep drinking water as night goes on, avoiding dehydration/hangovers

-Don't take a bunch of shots in a short time frame because you won't feel the full effect of the amount of alcohol you're consuming for a bit.

-if you're feeling comfortable with your level of drunk, keep a cup in your hand and nurse it slowly - avoids people asking 'why aren't you drinking? LET'S HAVE A SHOT' or whatever else

-know your limit. sadly, everyone has to learn by doing.

-once you're done for the night, forcing yourself to stay up for a bit while drinking water will let you avoid a hangover the next morning

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-Tip: know your relative level of drunk. At a party you want to be in the 'green zone' - that is, you want to be neither the most drunk nor the least drunk person there. If you are the least drunk, you will not only be aware of this fact (thus leading you to have less of a good time) but will be, by virtue of your functions being less impaired, the person responsible for those around you. If you are the most drunk, you will probably be obnoxious and a burden to everyone else (especially the least drunk person).
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-if you aren't used to taking shots, keep a chaser on hand to drink afterwards. aside from chaser, follow shankstah's suggestion on shot taking.

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brief rundown on alcohols as you will encounter them in your college experience:

-tequila: lick the salt (will be put on hand), take the shot, bite the lime. I like tequila, but common saying is that it makes your clothes fall off. don't much care for it without salt and lime, personally. generally not taken without salt/lime, less commonly used in cheap-o mixed drinks.

-vodka: goes well with a lot of things for easy mixed drinks. gotta be careful, because the mixer can cover the flavor of the alcohol, leading you to drink too much, puke, and hate vodka later. will also be used for straight shots.

-rum: dark colored rum will be commonly mixed with coke, dr pepper, and similar sodas. light colored will be mixed with juices and such. also used for straight shots. follow warning for vodka above.

-whiskey: cheap whiskey can be mixed with coke and similar. will be used for straight shots. learn to appreciate(or 'appreciate') good whiskey, it'll make you seem cooler, I swear.
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-if you end up puking one night, there's a chance that your body will develop a gag reflex regarding whatever alcohol it was you ended up throwing up from. So if you killed a handle of vodka with your bud one night because what the hell why not and it ended poorly, don't start back up with vodka the next time you go drinking or you will have a poor experience. Ease back into it.

-you may hear the phrase 'breaking the seal'. Someone who has 'broken the seal' is someone who has been drinking and finally gone to take a piss. Once you take that first leak, the next few will come more more quickly, and so people may say they don't want to 'break the seal'. don't worry about it, just piss when you have to.

-use the bathroom before you go to sleep, or if you feel like you're about to slip over the event horizon into the realm of black-out. if you've drunk yourself into a stupor and passed out and haven't relieved yourself in a while, there's a greater-than-zero chance that you will piss yourself.

-And, as always, drink your liquor *before* your beer, or you are asking for trouble.

Should cover a lot of the basics. Godspeed.