Ever done a borg? Warnings about the 'dangerous and excessive' drinking trend

The borg is a drinking trend that has apparently swept college campuses and TikTok feeds, but substance use experts are calling it "dangerous and excessive."

At a time when the topics of sophisticated AI chatbots and biohacking are finding their way into everyday conversations, the word "borg" could easily refer to anything from the future of customer service cyborg technology to the name of a sinister new tech start-up. 

But on TikTok and university campuses, it's the name of a new drinking trend. Shorthand for "blackout rage gallon," it's being touted by Gen Z students as a way to get drunk easily, cheaply and with seemingly less risk of a hangover the next day. But experts warn the risks of jumping on the trend aren't worth the hype.

According to a March 2020 TikTok video by user @disneyprincessofdeath that has been viewed more than 2.5 million times, the basic recipe for a borg goes like this. Pour out or drink half of the contents of a gallon jug of water. Refill the jug with a fifth of liquor – about 25.4 oz or 750 ml – and add a flavoured drink enhancer with electrolytes.

"Add a whole Mio Energy. Give it a good little shake, and there you have it. Get drunk while staying hydrated for a low price," captions for the video read.

Some of the top comments on the video testify to the potency of the drink.

"This caused me to absolutely black out so it is in fact effective," one user wrote.

"Directions unclear: drank the whole thing myself and woke up in a different country with a new identity," another joked.