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Boston colleges warn students against ‘BORGs’ as St. Patrick’s Day approaches

'BORGs' have taken colleges by storm, but with students ending up in hospitals, schools are concerned for a St. Patrick's Day surge.

The Boston Globe, File

By Eli Curwin

1 minute to read

As thousands of students flock to darties, parties, and parades this St. Patrick’s Day, colleges in Boston are warning their students to be wary of ‘BORGs.’

BORGs, or blackout rage gallons, have taken college campuses by storm in recent months. The drink — a gallon jug half-filled with water, several shots to a full bottle of vodka, and a mix of caffeine, electrolytes, and water flavoring — is seen by many college students as a healthier alternative to ambiguously mixed punches and shared drinks at gatherings.

BORG-themed parties, where invitees are asked to bring and name their gallon jugs, have become common occurrences at several schools, concerning doctors in the area.

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Doctors were quick to warn students of the many risks that come with drinking 8-17 shots of vodka in a few hours. But it seems these warnings have gone unheeded, as 28 ambulances were called to off-campus parties at the University of Massachusetts Amherst for emergencies throughout the first weekend of March. Officials believed the surge in BORGs was due to the school’s annual “Blarney Blowout,” a weekend-long event in anticipation of St. Patrick’s Day.

And as the actual holiday approaches, schools such as Boston University and Northeastern University have turned to social media encouraging students to avoid BORGs altogether and informing them of the safest BORG, and general drinking, practices if they are going to indulge.

BORG recommendations include:

  • Pre-measure the alcohol instead of eyeballing it
  • Add extra water
  • Eat before and while drinking
  • Space out drinking
  • Skip the caffeine
  • Skip the alcohol
  • Skip the BORG altogether

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