It was the first weekend of the semester. The weather was hot, excited freshmen were sneaking into parties and alcohol was flowing. I remember hearing the fraternity house’s music through my dorm room window and looked out to see people crowded on their back patio. Red solo cups scattered their lawn. Let me tell you, it looked a lot like the movies. It was only a few hours into the night when I heard ambulance sirens down the street, and one pulled up to our residence hall. Another student victim of the red solo cup.

I’m a college student and I don’t drink.

I don’t drink because I value my health.

Entering college, I knew I wanted to work out and stay in shape. These two things are not as easy as they seem. Sure, I can go to the gym every day and choose salad over fries, but alcoholic drinks can ruin all of a week’s hard work. Many of the calories within alcohol are due to sugar, fruit juices and added substances that make the drink taste better. Before downing your next drink or going out, use a drink calorie calculator. It may change your decisions for the night.

It was not the calories that shied me away from alcohol, but the devastating implications an excess amount can have on your body. Alcohol poisoning is real and can lead to death. The less detrimental side effects, including blurry vision, nausea, and difficulty breathing, may not seem harmful one night. But, if that one night becomes every night, the effects can build and begin to harm your body past recovery.

I don’t drink because I value my relationships.

Who said they made the best decisions while drunk? Drinking can alter one’s decisions, especially because teenage brains are still developing and maturing. Drinking can lead to risky behaviors and impaired judgement.

“Young drivers (ages 16-20) are 17 times more likely to die in a crash when they have a blood alcohol concentration of .08% than when they have not been drinking,” according to a teen drinking study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Your mistake of drinking and driving endangers the lives of you and anyone else on the road. I do not want to risk damaging my relationships with family, friends or a partner because of one drunken night full of mistakes.

I don’t drink because I value my education and future.

Guess what? Drinking is illegal under 21. A college stigma is that you have to drink and party to have a good time, but underage drinking is still against the law, whether you are on a college campus or not. An arrest or charge will stay on your record, and the university will more than likely become notified of your misdemeanor. The scholarships and opportunities I have at a university should not be taken for granted.

According to a study by DoSomething, a non-profit organization focused on motivating young people, 9 out of 10 American teens think drinking is not worth the consequences. A bad habit could escalate and ruin my reputation as a person, student and possible employee in the future.

I don’t drink because I value my time.

This was the biggest stigma I had coming into college. I thought everyone would think I was lame or immature for not drinking. It's a personal choice, but not a personality trait. I choose to live the weekends a different way. I go out with friends to grab ice cream or hit up the movies. I live for the endless Target runs, gym adventures and painting sessions with my roommate and sorority sisters. If I reflect on my college years in the future, I do not want to remember always drinking and partying on weekends. I want to remember the quality memories I made while sober with friends and family.