'BORGs' abound at Waterloo St. Patrick’s Day, but what are they?
A new youth binge-drinking trend was on display in the streets of Waterloo’s university district Friday.
If you looked closely, you could see many St. Patrick’s Day party-goers drinking from something called a ‘BORG.’
WHAT IS A BORG?
Typically mixed and carried in a large gallon jug, ‘BORG’ stands for ‘black out rage gallon.’
The drink is usually made of vodka and an electrolyte drink like Gatorade – a specific mixture aimed at hydration and inebriation.
“It’s kind of the best way to get through your St. Patrick’s Day festivities,” a student who identified himself as John told CTV News on Monday.
The results, according to John and a fellow BORG enthusiast, were mixed.
“If you’re getting some type of water and hydration in at the same time, I guess that’s the idea of helping you out,” John said. “Me and my buddy over there, we kind of passed out and didn’t go out, so I’m not sure it did a great job.”
“It blew up a little bit just because you are staying hydrated and stuff like that,” another student told CTV. “And me personally, I woke up without a hangover and went to work, so it does the job.”
A student holds up a BORG at a St. Patrick's Day party in Waterloo on March 17, 2023. (CTV Kitchener)
WHERE DID THE BORG TREND COME FROM?
The popularity of ‘BORGs’ has spread online, particularly through TikTok.
“It’s all over TikTok right now as a trend to do harm reduction with binge drinking,” said Aimee Morrison, a University of Waterloo professor who studies social media and online trends.
"You can take pictures of yourself with the jug, it became a type of binge drinking for the gram."
Morrison says the concept of a communal drinking experience has been around for decades, but the combination of binge drinking and wellness makes this trend a very Gen Z phenomenon.
“[The idea is] ‘we’re not going to use Redbull, we’re going to use electrolyte water, we want to reduce the negative downstream consequences of this.’ So they are almost flying a flag of personal safety and health, out of what is the same old risk of over drinking,” Morrison said.
ARE 'BORGs' SAFER THAN OTHER FORMS OF DRINKING?
Canada's health guidelines make it very clear that binge drinking is not safe under any circumstances.
“No amount of electrolytes is going to protect you of the effects of alcohol,” Morrison said.
“The jug is very large, you want to be very careful about how much alcohol you put in it relative to other liquids. It’s the dose that creates the poison and it’s very easy to put way to much alcohol in these jugs.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.