As graduation looms for UA seniors, some will continue a graduation tradition: liquoring up at some of Tucson's most popular watering holes before Saturday's ceremonies.

Die-hard traditionalists will line up outside The Buffet Bar and Crock Pot, 538 E. Ninth St., awaiting its 6 a.m. opening time, when seniors can indulge in alcoholic beverages and food galore.

Aisha Al-Suwaidi, an environmental sciences senior, is looking forward to the tradition of going to The Buffet so she can get her drink on.

Al-Suwaidi said the graduating class tradition will get dressed up in graduation attire and start a line outside The Buffet around 5:30 a.m. When the doors open at 6 a.m., graduates will rush inside to get hammered and eat.

"People don't last more than 30 minutes because everyone is so tired, the food sucks and it's way too early to be drinking," she said. "Still, commencement for some seniors is at 8 a.m., and they manage to be quite inebriated."

Sean Trella, a geography senior, is aware of The Buffet tradition and plans to drink until his commencement ceremony at 1:30 p.m.

"I guess it's a tradition," Trella said. "All my friends are going, so I'm going to get wasted there before my family gets into town."

But Trella said his finals end early in the week, leaving him and his friends plenty of time to drink between then and the big enchilada early Saturday morning.

"I get done with finals on Wednesday, and I'll be drinking right after that and all the way until graduation on Saturday," he said. "Then I go to Vegas after graduation, and the fun and excitement continues there."

Ted Bair, owner of The Buffet since 1982, said the bar's infamous drink is The Buffalo Sweat. The traditional double-shot sized drink is made with various hard liquors and crock pot juice, topped off with a firm squeeze of the bar rag.

Bair said anything goes with The Buffalo Sweat, which includes ingredients such as cigarettes and even a rag dragged through an ashtray.

Attempts by party revelers to drink the rank liquid are usually followed by a quick trip to the restroom, if they're lucky enough to make it, he said.

Bair said the graduation tradition at The Buffet has been going for as long as he can remember being open.

"You're kidding; this tradition is great," Bair said. "It's great for business, and the kids really enjoy coming out. These are our regular customers anyhow, and they're welcome anytime they please."

Another graduation tradition involves jumping into the Old Main fountain at 1 a.m. the morning of Dead Day.

That tradition, which happened already, wasn't exactly the most invigorating swim for some seniors, who said the must-do tradition is a tradition nonetheless.

"There was green slime at the bottom of the fountain because it hadn't been running in a few days," Al-Suwaidi said. "But you can't leave without swimming in the Old Main fountain."