Social gatherings are just a part of life, but as we age, alcohol at social gatherings becomes more and more of a norm. However, when you’re sober and/or recovering from an alcohol problem, it can put you in kind of an awkward situation: do you go to the party and risk being tempted into drinking, or do you stay at home and let your social life die right before your eyes?

Luckily, there are ways to avoid temptation at a party. Keep reading for some tips on how to keep it cool while being sober at a party.

1. First and foremost, be honest with people about your addiction recovery. When someone offers you a beer or drink, politely say no. If they persist, mention that you’re sober. A lot of people will be sympathetic and even interested in hearing about your journey into sobriety. Not everyone has as hard of an exterior as you may think.

2. Some people will not take no for an answer and if that’s the case, you can say that you offered to be the designated driver. Most people take that very seriously and will not only stop bugging you to drink, but will also encourage others to leave you alone.

3. Fill beer cans, beer bottles, or liquor bottles with water or juice. Who knew mom and dad’s old “water in the beer can” trick would actually come in handy? If you have a can of beer in your hand and you’re sipping what looks like beer out of it, people aren’t going to offer you a drink. People are stingy with their alcohol because it’s expensive and if it looks like you already have a drink, they aren’t going to pay any attention to you. Plain and simple.

4. With or without the pretending to drink, you can tell people who offer you a drink that you’ve reached your limit for the night. People who drink persistently will totally understand where you’re coming from if you say that you’ve had too much to drink. Plus, people don’t exactly like the thought of cleaning up vomit so they’ll most likely leave you alone if you say you’re not feeling well.

5. Strike up a conversation with someone. If it looks like you’re having an intimate conversation, people will generally leave you alone. Nobody wants to break up a one-on-one if they can help it.