It's the first night you can have your first (legal) drink of alcohol! No more sweaty basements, funky juice from an unsanitary cooler, or beer with an aftertaste almost as questionable as the boys serving it.

What could possibly make this night better?

Actually remembering it.

All too commonly, one's 21st birthday celebration is wrongly seen as an "L" if he or she remembers it. This is an overrated expectation and an unwise way to officially begin your adulthood. Here are some tips to help avoid that regretful, blurry morning-after, where the only evidence of the prior night's shenanigans are from your Snapchat story and some angry friends' recollections.

Don't just say yes because it's free

Yes, it's your 21st birthday, but that doesn't give you an excuse to dive into a pool filled with liquor. As broke college students, anything "free" is an automatic, almost out-of-body response of "uh duh!" Do yourself a favor and know when to say when you've had enough.

Carb up if you wanna drink up!

You bought a new dress to wear for your birthday! But you don't want to appear bloated on your first big, legal night out, so you decide to reach over the breadbasket at your birthday dinner for a plate of leaves instead. This is one of the biggest mistakes you could do. Carbs are our friends, and on our 21st birthdays, or any night out in general, they're our BEST friends. If you fail to eat enough before you go out, you will die.

Steer clear of inviting a questionably moral group of friends

Let's just say that after a few drinks you're not totally "yourself." This is why you must be with a trustworthy group of people who would not leave you ending your night face planted on the sidewalk or in the bar's bathroom toilet. I suggest deciding on a designated Mom for the night. No one likes a babysitter, but sometimes, especially on our birthdays, we need someone else to keep tally of our drinks.

Water is life

Ordering a glass of water in between drinks is an underrated and often forgotten way of making sure you're staying hydrated; alcohol is a diuretic, and will certainly amplify that headache you will undoubtedly wake up with the next day. So when you order that vodka cranberry, make sure to chase it down with a glass of water. You'll thank me the next morning if you choose to do this smarter alternative of "double-fisting."

After adhering to these rules, I now do not need to solely rely on pictures from my 21st birthday to relive this momentous night. So, now you can cheer to a night worth remembering, where you wake up with valuable memories and an undamaged dignity.