Fake Patty’s Day partygoers will be without their green companions this year, as the popular blackout rage gallons (BORGs) will not be allowed at Kent fraternities. 

BORGs were a popular choice for those ringing in the Fake Patty’s Day festivities last year, with students filling 1-gallon water jugs with liquor, water and various flavorings to cover the taste.

Mike Lewis, the administrative lieutenant at the Kent Police Department, said the BORGs surged in popularity last spring, with students finding creative names and recipes for their personal gallons.

“They had special names for them, they had written on the bottle and kind of made it entertaining and made a game of it, but it can be a very serious matter,” Lewis said.

Luke Baker, an executive board member for Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike), said the BORGs violated the Interfraternity Council’s bylaws on open containers.

“You’re not allowed to have 16-ounce containers of something that’s not marked,” he said. “This will be the first school year without BORGs.”

Baker said BORGs posed a safety risk for those that chose to consume them.

“You could definitely tell people were getting way too drunk way too quick,” Baker said. “They’re so bad because it doesn’t taste like alcohol.”

A lot of the danger of consuming BORGs, Lewis said, is the volume of alcohol they hold and also the speed at which partiers drink them.

“The body is going to continue to absorb alcohol for 30 to 90 minutes after your last drink has been consumed,” Lewis said. “When you’re consuming a lot of it very quickly, it can put you in a very serious and dangerous state of intoxication.”

Lewis said students will likely find alternatives in the wake of BORGs.

“People are always coming up with new ways to become intoxicated, or to experience the effects of alcohol or drugs, and if it’s not going to be BORGs, it will be something else,” Lewis said.

Lewis said the key to a safe Fake Patty’s Day is making sure students are informed about the dangers, and law enforcement does their part by going door-to-door, providing resources and information to students ahead of each major drinking holiday.

“Things can happen very quickly, and they can end up having a large party at their residence that they could be responsible for, and we try to discourage that,” he said.

Baker said students can make sure they drink responsibly by making sure they eat something beforehand and drink water throughout the day, as well as appropriately pacing their alcohol consumption.

“The biggest thing is just don’t [drink] too quick,” he said. “You don’t need to be a showoff.”

Beyond the dangers of alcohol, Lewis said to be careful about drug consumption, as accidental overdoses are more common than many realize.

“It is amazing how often very serious drugs are mixed with what people don’t believe to be serious drugs,” he said. 

Lewis said if anyone does find themselves severely under the influence of drugs or alcohol, he strongly encourages them to immediately call 911.

“Don’t worry about the consequences of drinking underage or being in a party,” he said. “I would always emphasize safety, health and well-being first and would never want somebody discouraged from calling for emergency medical services.”

Janson McNair is campus editor. Contact him at [email protected].