Like everything in life it comes down to how bad you want it. Alcohol will slow your progress, if you can handle that, then go for it. As far as drinking being bad, well, aside for 1 beer a day, which doctors say prevent heart disease, its always bad. Every time you get drunk your hurting your liver.
I don't know how true this is, but a guy I know told me you do less damage to your liver doing a cycle than a college kid does every week with alcohol. Take that for whats its worth, the bottom line is that alcohol will always hurt you. But hell, to pick up drunk chicks you got to go to the bar, and if your in the bar, its tough not to drink. My advise: As a college guy, I would say drink only when you can no longer hold out and have to get laid. lol