Over 30 years ago, seven friends were brought together at Binghamton University. A bottle of scotch began a tradition that allowed them to revisit their roots and build new memories.

After a majority of the seven friends — Austin Bender, Ken Ehrhard, Jay Fleischman, Jack D’Angelo, Adam Baskin and Rob Bukar — graduated in 1991, with the exception of Dan Reichner ‘89, the crew has been returning to campus every five years to revisit old college landmarks and reminisce about their school days. The tradition started with a gag gift they purchased for Baskin — a bottle of scotch — after he claimed he would never drink it again following a bad experience. Instead of drinking the bottle, they all signed the box it was gifted in and saved it to open again in 10 years.

In 1999, they returned to the Delaware Hall common room, where their friendship began, to drink the scotch. Another bottle was purchased to be opened in 2009, continuing the 10-year cycle. This time, 10-year predictions for each friend’s life were placed into the box. Ehrhard shared that the scotch and predictions are opened only every 10 years, but every five years the group comes together as a “dry run.”

“I would say it’s bittersweet because you have such great memories and you spend an amazing time with your life, but then you miss it, and you yearn to go back to those times,” Baskin said. “I think everyone would love to relive that time.”

One prediction prophesied Fleischman would lose his right arm in a freak boating accident, though he happily announced that “I still have both arms.” Other predictions forecasted one member becoming a school principal and another a divorcee.

Baskin said that, although it may seem slightly morbid, they hope to keep the tradition alive until the last one of them is alive. When each one passes away, they plan on “roasting” them when opening the scotch.

While much of the group still resides in the tri-state area, others live further away in California. Ehrhard said the tradition offers a great way to remain in touch despite the distance.

“A lot of stories wouldn’t even be funny to anybody else, but we will come back and it’s amazing how we just fall back into our old selves,” Ehrhard said. “We are all 55-year-old adults now, supposedly responsible people, fathers with wives and jobs. And we come back here and it’s like the funniest, dumb stuff we did 30 years ago, we’ll just crack each other up with all of this crazy stuff we did way back when.”

The group discussed the drastic changes since their days on campus, marveling at the diverse options in the dining halls and the incoming Panera. Fleischman said they were on campus visiting just before Delaware Hall was torn down, and when they returned years later, “everything was different.” Baskin said it was sad to see their off-campus house at 226 Main St. demolished, which Fleischman joked was probably “better for the world.”

They also noted the absence of the on-campus pub, which many would frequent on a Tuesday night.

“It was a great senior hangout spot,” Ehrhard said. “I think that’s a change for the worse, that they don’t have that.”

Athletic prowess at BU has also changed immensely in the last three decades. Years ago, students didn’t attend many sporting events, Bender said. BU was Division III at the time, so there was not a large community centered around athletics. Greek life was not as popular either. D’Angelo said after their first meeting with their residential assistant, they were told nobody would speak to them if they joined a fraternity.

Though the group formed in college, many of them have known each other since high school, with Baskin and Bukar requesting each other as roommates and D’Angelo and Bender doing the same. The four attended the same high school but floated in somewhat separate circles before coming to BU. Eventually, they met during their freshman year and moved off campus together. The rest is history.

“And sadly, tonight, I bet you about 11:30 or 12, we will be in the Rat looking ridiculous,” Bender said.