For better or for worse, DC is a city of happy hours.  There’s nothing wrong with unwinding with friends from work, but for some of us, office happy hours can be the breeding ground for drama and rumors.  I try to avoid them as much as possible, but a lot of times it’s better to make an appearance than to pathologically shun them altogether.  Here are some tips on how to keep a smile on your face and leave happy: 

Timing is Everything: Plan on arriving midway through the happy hour.  At this point everyone is usually loosened up, but not sloppy.  Stay while the gossip is still juicy, leave before it gets raunchy.  Have an exit strategy. 

 Avoid Going Round After Round: Rounds quickly turn into a costly and never-ending cycle of debauchery as each participant is socially obligated to partake in the consumption and purchase of a long succession of drinks.  This can get expensive and messy.  Buy yourself a drink and close your tab.  If you get caught in a chain of rounds, you’re trapped—never leave before your turn to buy is up. 

Keep your hands to yourself: …And your snake in your pants.  This is not the time to unveil your office romance or publicly take advantage of your cubicle partner.   

Moderation, moderation: Just because your boss is on his fourth beer, doesn’t mean that it’s okay for you to have a third.  If you’re feeling tipsy, discretely order a seltzer water or Coke.  Bad things happen when coworkers drink too much—and if they happen at happy hour, everyone will hear about them.