Orange Central, Syracuse University’s Homecoming celebration, is a time to remember. For students today, it’s a chance to remember that iPhones, Ke$ha and Xbox’s weren’t always in vogue. In the spirit of SU’s ever-changing campus, Pulp caught up with some alumni, through an email questionnaire, to recount their fondest memories on the Hill.

Howard Groopman

Class of 1972

What was your favorite campus spot?

Favorite off-campus spots were Cosmos and The Barge Inn. On-campus? The Quad, I guess.

What was the most popular song during your time at school?

There were many popular songs, of course, but my senior year they had to be “American Pie” by Don McLean and “Maggie May” by Rod Stewart. Also, “Hey Jude” by The Beatles my freshman year.

What was the most popular class to take?

I think Public Affairs, basically for freshmen, was a very popular course.

What national events got the most people talking?

The biggest national event by far was the 1970 student strike that shut down SU and hundreds of other colleges, connected to the invasion of Cambodia.

What basketball game do you remember most?

Early 1971, SU upset LaSalle in basketball on a wintry Saturday afternoon. A frat house had open house after the game with tons of free beer.

Ken Kane

Class of 1975

What was your favorite campus spot?

Off-campus: The Varsity. Spiro’s pizza rocked. On-campus: WAER studios in Newhouse II. I was news director my senior year — back in the “good ol’ days” when the station was student-run.

What song was the most popular during your time at school?

“Baba O’Riley” by The Who. On the first good weather day in the spring, we used to open our window on Day 8, point our stereo speakers out the window and blast “Baba O’Riley” to those coming up the Mount Olympus steps while blinding them by reflecting the sun off of our dresser mirrors into their faces. Even now, when I hear “Baba O’Riley,” it takes me back to when I was 19. Life was good, and I had no Friday classes.

What was the most popular class to take?

Sally Short’s nutrition course — sort of a Cooking for Dummies class. To open the semester, she rode down the lecture hall stairs on a motorcycle. That got our attention.

What national events got the most people talking?

The 1972 presidential election. Tricky Dick vs. McGovern — about as wide a choice as we’ve ever had on the ballot. Also, my freshman year especially, the Vietnam draft. That was the last year for conscription. My draft number was 156, and they called through 100 that year. Whew.

What basketball game do you remember most?

1975 NCAA national semi-final game. Kentucky whooped us, but it was our first appearance in a Final Four. Jim Boeheim was as assistant coach in those days. Jim Lee scored 23 points for ’Cuse to make the all-tournament team.

Ira Berkowitz

Class of 1982

What was your favorite campus spot?

Varsity or Faegan’s.

What song was the most popular during your time at school?

We listened to everything from The Police, The Cars, The Doobie Brothers, Earth, Wind & Fire, Supertramp and many more. I think The Cars’ first album is the quintessential college album for our era, so maybe “Let The Good Times Roll” is one song I’d pick. And The B-52s. Great party music.

What was the most popular class to take?

Astronomy: Professor Wessel was a hoot.

What national events got the most people talking?

The hostage crisis in the Middle East and the 1980 presidential election.

What basketball game do you remember most?

The last game in Manley Field House, worst day of my four years at SU.

Pamela Mulligan

Class of 1989

What was your favorite campus spot?

On campus: Newhouse. On M Street: The former Maggie’s. Other: Alpha Chi Omega Sorority House on Walnut.

What song was the most popular during your time at school?

Madonna was huge at the time — “Like A Prayer.” I clearly remember when U2 came to the Carrier Dome when I was a student. The concert was huge, and everyone was blaring U2 songs from their cars, houses and dorms.

What was the most popular class to take?

COM 101 and Wine Tasting.

What national events got the most people talking?

Unfortunately, the tragic events of Lockerbie.

What basketball game do you remember most?

NCAA Championship game in 1987 when SU lost by one point to Indiana.

Ashley Walter

Class of 2005

What was your favorite campus spot?

I spent a lot of time hanging out at Schine between classes. In fact, two of my friends and I decided to stage our own “sit in” there one day during our senior year. We made shirts and posters that said “Rise & Schine” and had a contest as to who could get the most signatures on their posters.

What song was the most popular during your time at school?

“Get Low” was a pretty popular one. Probably because the lyrics were so lovely.

What was the most popular class to take?

I took a “Living Writers” class that was really popular. I think it was only open to freshmen.

What national events got the most people talking?

9/11. I was a freshman when it happened and had only been at school for a short while. I watched the second tower go down on a movie-theater-sized screen in my COM 107 class. It was one of the most terrible, unreal moments of my life.

What basketball game do you remember most?

2003 Final Four and National Championship. The campus was insane and M Street was a sh*tshow of awesome.

Published on November 8, 2012 at 12:57 am