UA homecoming β already a time honored tradition β brings with it extra Wildcat pride this year, as the University of Arizona celebrates 100 years of Greek Life.
Kappa Sigma, the first recognized national organization, joined the university in 1915, ushering in a fraternity and sorority community that has churned out more than 50,000 Wildcat members.
This yearβs homecoming also marks the 50th reunion for the class of 1965 and is the 101st homecoming for the university.
Things have changed over the years, from popular music to swanky β and not so swanky β hangouts.
But since before the words βbear downβ were first uttered on the death bed of football player John Salmon of Sigma Nu in 1926, one thing has stayed the same β an undying and unmatched sense of school spirit.
Hereβs what the past several decades of UA life have looked like.
2015
Homecoming theme: 100 Years of Greek Life.
Bonfire and pep rally: 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, on the west side of Old Main.
Wildcat for Life Tailgate Party: Family-friendly event with a no-host bar, food trucks and the chance to hang out with friends from all eras. 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24.
Parade: Oct. 24 at the UA Mall. 9 a.m.
Homecoming game: Oct. 24 against Washington State. 1 p.m.
Head football coach: Rich Rodriguez.
Whatβs in: Instagram, iPhones, smart watches.
Popular hangouts: Gentle Benβs, Frog & Firkin, Dirtbagβs, HiFi Kitchen & Cocktails and North Fourth Avenue.
Top three songs: βThe Hillsβ by The Weekend, βWhat Do You Meanβ by Justin Bieber and βCanβt Feel My Faceβ by The Weekend.
Pop culture: This year weβve said goodbye to the late show with David Letterman, said hello to Caitlyn Jenner and grew tired of all things Kardashian.
Popular slang: On fleek, bae, basic and hella.
Movies: βMad Max: Fury Road,β βAvengers: Age of Ultron,β βJurassic World,β βFurious 7,β βInside Out.β
U.S. president: Barack Obama.
2005
HomecomingΒ game: Nov. 5 with a 52-14 win over UCLA.
Homecoming theme: Roll out the Red and Blue.
Top Billboard single: βGold Diggerβ by Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx.
Head football coach: Mike Stoops.
Movies: βStar Wars III β Revenge of the Sith,β βWedding Crashers,β βSerenity,β βThe 40-Year-Old Virgin,β βHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.β
On television: βAmerican Idol,β βCSI,β βDesperate Housewives,β βGreyβs Anatomy.β
Pop culture: Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston divorce. Michael Jackson found not guilty on all 10 felony and all four misdemeanor charges in child-molestation case.
U.S. president: George W. Bush.
1995
UA graduates say they got their first email accounts this year, but had to go to theΒ computer lab to use it, and only one lab had βWorld Wide Webβ access.
Homecoming game: Nov. 11 against the Oregon Ducks. University of Oregon won 17-13.
Homecoming queen and king: Day Keller and Ruben Morales.
Homecoming theme: Wildcats Come Marching Home.
Popular hangouts: Fine Line, Wildcat House, Zacharyβs Pizza, Dirtbagβs, Gentle Benβs, Mikeβs Place.
Top Billboard single: βFantasyβ by Mariah Carey.
Big movies: βHackers,β βThe Usual Suspects,β βSe7en.β
On television: βFriends,β βSeinfeldβ and βMelrose Place.β
Head football coach: Dick Tomey.
U.S. president: Bill Clinton.
1985
Arizona raised the legal drinking age to 21 from 19.
The west end of the Mall between Cherry and Campbell avenues became the scene of βTents on the Mallβ for that yearβs homecoming.
Popular hangouts: Wildcat House, Bum Steer, Dirtbagβs, The Green Dolphin, Fine Line and Carlos Murphyβs, The Gallagher Theater β with ticket prices at $1.50.
Fashion: Mini skirts, Bermuda shorts, new wave and preppy. And letβs not forget leg warmers and sweats.
Big movies: βBack to the Future,β βCocoon,β βThe Jewel of the Nile,β βThe Color Purpleβ and βThe Goonies.β
On TV: βMiami Vice,β βThe Cosby Show.β
U.S. president: Ronald Reagan.
Favorite student restaurants: Greasy Tonyβs, Dominoβs Pizza, Tucson Frozen Yogurt, Mamaβs Pizza and Noodles and Crust.
Homecoming queen and king: Kellie Doyle and Scott Whyte.
Head football coach: Larry Smith.
Homecoming game: Lost to UCLA 19-24.
1975
Alpha Kappa Alpha, the first historically black Greek sorority, was established.
The UA yearbook for the 1975-76 school year featured a section dedicated to the 200th year of Americaβs independence, which included timelines of Tucson and the UA.
Manzanita-Mohave became the first co-ed dorm at UA.
The Wildcats were ranked in the national Top 20 every week of football season.
Homecoming game: The Wildcats lost to the New Mexico Lobos 44-34.
Head football coach: Jim Young.
North Fourth Avenue: Shops include How Sweet it Was, Glass by Jeiber, Morningstar Traders, The Clay Hut, The Catalyst, The Backpacker and the Glass Eye.
Night life: Stumble Inn, Choo-Chooβs, The Bum Steer and Gentle Benβs.
Favorite bands: Grover Washington, Eagles, BTO, Seals and Crofts, Earth, Wind and Fire, and Cool and the Gang.
Popular movies: βJaws.β
Home trend: Macrame art.
Facial hair: Mustaches.
Sweet Spot: Student Union Palace of Sweets, Swensenβs and Baskin-Robbins.
Dance: Country swing became popular.
Womenβs rights: Women at the UA joined forces to combat sex discrimination at Pima College after 18 employees there filed complaints and were fired. A new Womenβs Drop-In Center set up by ASUA (Associated Students of the University of Arizona) in the basement of the Student Union served as a space for those coordinating those efforts. It was also a place for women to get together for support and to exchange ideas.
1965
This year set a record for the UAβs largest student enrollment with 4,000 freshmen and 2,000 transfer students. Fifteen hundred of them participated in the 50th annual βAβ day by whitewashing the βAβ on βAβ Mountain.
The βAβ on the mountain was also rebuilt.
Sorority membership averaged in the 70s, fraternity membership ranged between 80-100.
The homecoming celebration was attended by 15,000 alumni.
The float parade took place in downtown Tucson before the game. Homecoming royalty was presented during half time.
Homecoming rival team: Air Force Academy Falcons won the game 34-7.
Head football coach: Jim LaRue.
Homecoming queen: Emily Sult.
Homecoming theme: βSeventy-four years with the Right Women.β
Popular getaways: Sabino Canyon, Mount Lemmon and Mexico beaches.
Movies: βDoctor Zhivago,β βThunderball,β βThe Sons of Katie Elder,β βThe Sound of Music.β
New TV shows: βDays of Our Lives,β βI Dream of Jeannie,β βLost in Space,β βGreen Acres,β βGet Smart,β βGidget.β
Top three Billboard songs: βWooly Bullyβ by Sam The Sham and The Pharaohs, βI Canβt Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)β by Four Tops and β(I Canβt Get No) Satisfactionβ by Rolling Stones.
U.S. president: Lyndon B. Johnson.