Well it’s sort of all in the title, isn’t it? The goal is to abstain from alcohol for the month of February. That’s it, no booze for 28 days. Leap years are a failure of the Gregorian calendar and we do not abide by this abomination of our favorite month (all activies on February 29th enter a hole in time and space where anything goes)

There are loads of good reasons. Do it for health or happiness, or as a challenge, or just to detox for a while. Whatever reason you decide, abstaining for alcohol makes you realize your reasons for why you enjoy it, helping you learn more about yourself. Most importantly, February is the shortest month, so quit whining.

This isn’t your chance to sit at home by yourself and finish your nerd projects, nerd. Half of the challenge is to remain who you are and get out of the house. Go to concerts, comedy, movies, parties, and yes even bars. You know, have fun. Better yet, make friends with bartenders by tipping them for soda water and then in March they'll hook you up when you're back on the sauce.

Don’t get us wrong, alcohol is great. Super great. Maybe the greatest. But it’s good every now and then to take a break. Plus your first shot when the clock strikes 12:01 am will taste delicious and get you super drunk.

We don’t care what else you do during the month. You shouldn’t just replace booze with other drugs, but we’ll turn a blind eye to the occasional indiscretion (*cough*) And if it's a leap year you have 24 hours where anything that happens falls into a blackhole.

The three biggest hang ups for everyone are Valentine's Day, the Oscars and the Superbowl, but don’t sweat it. On V Day, your wits will be sharp, if you know what I mean. For the Oscars, try hosting a party and you’ll be too busy to get wasted. For the Superbowl, insist that the 7-layer bean dip is directly in front of you. Problems solved.

• No booze from 12:01 A.M. February 1st until 11:59 P.M. February 28th (February 29th is not included).
• Try to be just who you are now, only without alcohol in your system.
• Don't forget, Bartenders always get tipped, even for non-alcoholic drinks.