UMass Amherst warns against "Borg," drinking trend
DARTMOUTH, Mass. (WJAR) — A social media trend sent college students to the hospital by the dozen over the weekend.
Over the weekend, students at UMass Amherst gathered in the snow for what they call the "Blarney Blowout." The annual event brings thousands of students outside to drink with their peers before spring break, but this year, things got especially rowdy due to a new drink called the "Borg."
According to a WBTS report, 25 ambulances were called to off-campus parts during the early St. Patrick's Day celebration.
The Borg -- an acronym that stands for the Blackout Rage Gallon -- started as a TikTok trend. It is a gallon jug filled with vodka and caffeinated flavoring.
As you can imagine, it can be dangerous.
"I would say it is something I keep in the back of my mind because I am not trying to end up in the back of an ambulance," one student told WWLP.
According to the UMass Amherst website, new students are required to take an alcohol education course, teaching them the dangers of binge drinking.
UMass Dartmouth doesn't have a policy like that in place. NBC 10 caught up with students and staff on Monday who say they haven't seen any incidents that would require that.
"It may happen, but I certainly have not seen it," one man told NBC 10.
The university system in Massachusetts does have a strict policy about alcohol use on campus as well as student conduct while off campus.
Excessive drinking arrests could lead to a 3-month school suspension and in some cases, expulsion.
WWLP and WBTS contributed to this report.