It's an unfortunate fact of life. People often make choices that sometimes lead to making mistakes.

But some of our mistakes are easier to deal with, such as the time we thought it would be a good idea to go sledding using a cafeteria tray as a toboggan, and ended up with a concussion. Not such a great idea.

Other mistakes are not only cringe-worthy in retrospect -- sometimes we even wince while we're making them.

We know that we're taking risks, but somehow that doesn't seem to stop us. Maybe it's because what we're doing feels so good at the time. Or maybe it's because we've developed a pathological aversion to our calculus, so anything that doesn't involve integrating seems fun. Risk-taking can be fun!

Fortunately, many risks turn out well. However, others may result in big mistakes with unpleasant, sometimes serious, consequences. We have to decide if the fun is worth it.

In case you haven't guessed, we're talking about alcohol--a topic that has been receiving a lot of press around here lately.

Yes, we live on a college campus that many believe has an alcohol culture. But it's not all gloom and doom, because contrary to what it may seem like, most Penn State students are not "wasted" every weekend and actually only drink between zero and five drinks.

Regardless, drinking is a choice. And like all choices, overdoing anything has consequences.

What kind of consequences?

Most students don't want to get into trouble with their parents, so let's start with parental notification laws.

Even though after the age of 18 your medical records are your own and your relationship with your health professional is confidential, universities have the right to disclose to your parents any alcohol or substance abuse violations that you may incur.

There are also money concerns, hitting us right where we live. Public drunkenness can get you a $300 fine. Penalties for underage drinking can run up to $500 per offense. F

ake ID's can cost you $2,500. Then there's the possibility of hospital costs. Is any of it worth the risk?

But it's not just legal codes and magistrate hearings. Everyone wants to have a good job someday, right? (It is, in theory, at least one of the reasons you probably decided to go to college.) Here's a fun tidbit about the wacky world of gainful employment: some employers require a background check before they will hire you.

You want to be a teacher? Nurse? Occupational therapist? Alcohol-related convictions can stop you from getting the job you want, regardless of your grades or your experience.

It doesn't just end at the so-called "helping" professions. Criminal violations can also stop you from being an architect, lawyer, engineer, law enforcement officer, or even an accountant. So how do you avoid this big mess? For starters, recognize that the decision to drink is your choice.

If you're under 21, know that first of all you risk arrest for underage drinking. And if you drink too much, you run the risk of all the other possible consequences.

If you're 21 or over, think about how you can still have fun and also avoid a whole lot of unpleasantness.

To help you drink in moderation, try to eat something while you're drinking, alternate between an alcoholic drink and water and don't drink more than one drink every hour when you're being social.

Have a friend who helps keep you from drinking too much, but also (and this is a big one) be that friend for someone else.

The thing about alcohol is that it isn't just an issue of not getting caught or staying under the radar of the police.

The issue is about making choices that are safe and smart--not choices where you end up on an IV (or worse) in the ER.

We're going to make choices and those choices often mean taking risks. Sometimes we end up making mistakes.

It's up to us to weigh the risks and decide how much risk we're going to take. Some choices are riskier than others.