Let’s be brutally honest: it’s fun to go out, drink and act goofier than usual with friends on the weekend. It’s a way to let loose and get energized after a draining week of classes or work. A lot of students don’t schedule Friday classes, so Thursday is the perfect night to go out and have carefree fun with friends and classmates.

There are benefits to drinking such as increasing confidence levels in social environments, and low levels of alcohol can help our hearts, according to MayoClinic.

But what’s not cool is when we let ourselves go past our drinking limit and binge more than we can take. It’s not a pretty picture. Most people don’t like to be around the person who’s drunk beyond consciousness. Certainly nobody likes to be that person who wakes up to unwanted Facebook and Instagram photos, unwanted lovers and an unwanted headache.

Binge drinking is actually on the rise among young women in college. It kills approximately 23,000 women every year, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that about 24 percent of college age women have admitted to binge drinking.

But on top of the reputation risks we run when we binge and over-drink, we risk harming our health.

Long-term physical effects of over-drinking include the following:

• Liver damage

• Brain damage

• Heart damage

• Cancer

Over-drinking takes a toll on our mental health, as well. It decreases academic performance levels and our decision-making skills. With decreased decision-making, students might get involved in risky behaviors that could injure them.

It’s so important to know your drinking limit before headed out on “Thirsty Thursday” or any other party night. Here are some tips on how to be safe when out drinking:

• Have a friend keep you accountable for how much you drink throughout the night so you don’t go above your drinking limit.

• Drink at a steady or slow pace, so you can figure out your alcohol tolerance. It’s not possible to figure out your tolerance if all you ever do is binge four or more shots at once every time you go out to party.

• Get a designated driver or find public transportation, in case you do go over your limit.

• Stay hydrated before going out, and don’t drink on an empty stomach.

Although it might be amusing to be super wasted, it won’t be amusing the days after. So be safe at your next party, have fun and plan everything ahead of time.

The above editorial is the consensus opinion of the Daily Kent Stater editorial board.