After so many hours spent studying, you finally did it. You scrapped through long nights, a caffeine addiction and 8 a.m. classes, and now you made it to the finish line. You are about to graduate and there is no way you are not celebrating.

While heading to Old Town with friends and family sounds like the best idea, it would be in everyone’s best interest to stop and think about what might happen. If alcohol is going to be involved, it’s worth having a plan that makes sure everyone celebrates safely.

Here are five ways to make sure you and your loved ones stay safe during graduation.

1. Try to stay in one place

If you have family or friends in Fort Collins, try to make that the celebration destination. The goal is to pick a trustworthy location that will allow you to drink and celebrate, but also allow you to retire for the night whenever you’re ready. If your family is staying at a local hotel, find places nearby or even use the hotel itself. The goal is to minimize travel distance.

2. Take your car out of the equation

Prevent yourself from drinking and driving by just removing the option of driving altogether. Use a taxicab or sharing services like Uber or Lyft instead. You can encourage others to do the same and split the bill for the rides. You also have the option to take public transportation by mapping out your destinations beforehand.

3. Set limits

After four or five years of constant studying, it’s understandable to want to let loose and celebrate. However, for the safety of you and others, practice self-restraint. Have hard limits on how much you’ll drink, the number of places you’ll go and how long you’ll spend at each location.

4. Avoid high alcohol drinks

Stick to drinks with lower alcohol percentages like beer or ciders so they will take longer to kick in. Avoid alcohols with higher percentages like brown alcohols and spirits, which include gin, whiskey and vodka. In-between alcohols like wine should be kept to a minimum.

5. Stay inside if you are not celebrating

According to Colorado State University Police Department Chief Scott Harris, there is expected to be a lot of traffic throughout Fort Collins on graduation day. While the police will do what they can to minimize vehicular risks, the increased traffic will still likely make driving on graduation precarious. If you can, try to get necessary errands done when traffic is low.

The full ceremony schedule can be found here.

Ty Davis can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com or Twitter @tydavisACW.