For college students, December is a month full of conflicting feelings: anxiety because of finals, anticipation of the semester break and excitement for the holiday season.

In addition to all of the craziness during the month, we all have a slew of holiday party invites. Whether it’s parties with your family, friends, work peers or any number of random parties you may get dragged to by people in your life, parties are an inescapable part of the holiday season.

For some, there is nothing better than sweaters, toasts and weird gift exchanges. For others, the thought of multiple social gatherings in a few weeks time is a nightmare. Regardless of how many parties you must attend or how you’re feeling about them, following a few simple guidelines will ensure you ace the holiday season.

####Loosen up a bit…
No matter how you feel about a party you are attending, you’ve got to relax. You may be apprehensive for a number of reasons: You don’t know the other guests well, you know some of the guests _too well_, or you’re (insert excuse here).

Regardless, you’re at the party. Take a few hours to forget about the rest of the world and just enjoy the atmosphere and company of the party. After all, people don’t throw parties with the goal of not having fun.

####…but don’t get too loose
Life is all about balance, and this is no exception. To cope with some of the uncomfortable situations holiday gatherings put us in, even the best of us may turn to the glorious array of holiday beverages. Do not — once again, _do not_ — get drunk.

A few drinks is more than OK, but the second you cross that line (and we all know what that line is), you go from enjoyable party guest to “that person.” Keeping a level head is key to making sure the party you weren’t too excited to be at doesn’t become the night people reference for the next few holiday seasons.

####Learn a few handy social skills
Unless your experiences have been vastly different than almost everyone else’s, a “party” is an inherently social gathering. Therefore, it’s important to know a few tricks to handle yourself in both good and bad situations.

If you’re heading to a party as someone’s guest or you just don’t know many people, be sure to branch out a bit. It’s rare that everyone at a party knows each other, so you’re not alone. Strike up a conversation with a stranger, and if it sucks, excuse yourself to grab a drink or slide your way into a new conversation. If things are getting tense between a few people, diffuse the situation with a little bit of humor.

It’s the holidays, and if we can’t laugh at ourselves, then what can we laugh at?

####Want to be a super guest? Bring a gift.
The art of host gifts can be daunting at first. How much do I spend? How personal is too personal? Would this person even like a hand-finished bamboo cheese board? If you don’t know the host well, reach out to someone that does. If that’s not possible, go for a general gift that the host can utilize throughout the season (or at the party). This includes alcohol, candles, food-related gifts and as a last resort, gift cards (with a personalized note, please). While you don’t need to feel compelled to bring a gift, any host would appreciate a token of thanks for all their hard work.