There are many factors that contribute to a hangover, but the biggest one is dehydration. Alcohol dampens all of your senses, including one you're not even consciously aware of. When you drink, your body suppresses a hormone called vasopressin that tells your kidneys to hold onto water. This makes you pee more. You may also find it harder to notice signs of fatigue and dehydration when you're drinking, and if you smoke when you drink, this dehydrates you even more. It's important to drink plenty of water (1:1 drink:water is ideal) while you're drinking to minimize hangovers.
Cocktails like Blue Hawaii or frozen margaritas are delicious, but it's easy to lose track of how many you're drinking on a night out. They contain massive amounts of sugar, that, when consumed to such a degree, dehydrate you (sugar is a humectant, drawing water out from your body) and also can cause headaches, both giving you and exacerbating a hangover. Try using carbonated water or diet soda as a mixer instead.
The best way to prevent alcohol from having an extreme effect is to never drink on an empty stomach. If you're going out with friends, make sure you eat some food that contains a lot of carbohydrates like pasta or rice. By filling up your tummy, you're going to slow down the pace at which your body absorbs the contents of the alcohol. Another precaution you can take is to drink lots of liquid (water and non-fizzy soft drinks. You can keep consuming liquids between each drink and even continue it throughout the night to prevent a hangover the next morning.