Anais' Annotations The expression “if these walls could talk” is often used to reference the desire to hear the events a location has experienced through its own perspective, but what if it went outside of just four walls? What if an entire town could spin a yarn? This story of place is the very point of Donald Ray Pollock’s “Knockemstiff” (2008). Set in the real town of Knockemstiff, Ohio, this unique work takes a new approach to regionalism and storytelling. When you first

Troy’s National Pan-Hellenic Council held Greek Night: Basketball Edition in Wright Hall Gym on Friday for a night of competition and fun. Students from each NPHC organization came out to support and watch the game from the bleachers to the walls. All students were invited. “It’s been a really fun night here,” said NPHC President Shania Brunson, a junior exercise science major from Tuskegee, Alabama, who is a member of Troy’s Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. “We got the music

This semester, the Troy University Department of Art and Design will hold the Spring Arts Series, a unique program bringing six Alabama-based artists to Troy for artist residencies. This event was made possible by the grant awarded to the university by the Alabama State Council on the Arts. “During their time on campus, each artist will be working in the studio on their own creative research, as well as teaching publicly available workshops, working with students, giving art

Aries : You all have to stop being so stubborn. Wearing extra layers does not hurt your pride and refusing to wear a jacket and then complaining that you’re cold five minutes later does not make you look cool. Taurus : You were so frustrated you had to deal with the cold. For you, having to wear more layers, not wanting to leave the house and turning the heaters way up equals one thing: more couch time. Gemini : It is not your fault you have stuff to get done. Even though

Kicking off the semester, Trojan Debate Club held its semesterly interest meeting sharing its love for debate, donut holes and balloons. The event commenced with an introduction to the ins and outs of debate, format and how to win coveted titles at tournaments. Hall School of Journalism and Communication professor Michael Gray, who is also the Debate Club’s adviser, explained at the meeting that debate is a competition with equal time allotted to either side and at the end

SPOILER ALERT With Jimmy Nichols Scott Pilgrim vs. The World – A comic book come to life Whenever you mention comic book movies, people immediately think of Marvel or DC movies. They remember watching “Iron Man,” which started the Marvel Cinematic Universes (MCU), the X-Men films in the FOX Universe or maybe the new “Superman” movie. Most do not think of “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.” Most people I mentioned this movie to this past week had never even heard of it. The mov

"In Pop News This Week" It has been nearly 10 years since Bruno Mars released a single album and nearly five years since he released an album with Silk Sonic. With the release of his new song “I Just Might” and announcement of his new album “The Romantic,” fans across campus are excited to hear what Mars has in store for his fans. “When Bruno announced his new album, there were actual screams,” said Kayla Burrell, a junior exercise physiology major from Marbury, Alabama. “I

"In Pop News This Week" In 2019, cable television was introduced to a new daytime talk show with a beloved celebrity as its host: Kelly Clarkson. “The Kelly Clarkson Show” premiered on NBC on Sep. 9, 2019. Since then, there have been seven seasons laden with celebrity guests and musical covers from the star herself. However, rumors have been swirling that the show might be cancelled before its next season, which was slated to start in Aug. 2026. Even with those rumors surfa

Troy’s School of Music took the stage at the Alabama Music Educators Association (AMEA) last Thursday to last Saturday. The goal was to educate music directors and students through a series of different performances, seminars and workshops. On Thursday, the experiences included Solfege and Play, Planning with Purpose, Enterprise High School Wind Ensemble, Passages Through History, Troy Trombone Octet, Troy Alumni Reception and Future Alabama Music Educators. The events cont

On the first day of classes last Wednesday, the Welcome Week Committee started off the semester by posing a question to students: What is something you want to accomplish this semester? A table was set up for the d ay in the Trojan Center with the question written on a large piece of Kraft paper. As students walked by, they could pick up a marker and write their answers on the paper. Students’ answers ranged from academic, to physical to extracurricular goals. “This table

The Trojan Center was booming with music and movement Wednesday night as students danced the night away during a Welcome Week celebration. The event, held in the Trojan Center ballrooms, transformed the space from a daytime campus hub into a full dance party aimed at helping students kick off the new semester on a positive note. Event organizers said the goal was to give students a chance to unwind after returning from winter break, a time that can be stressful for many. “

To fully understand the intricate beauty of Chinese shoegaze band Default’s album titled “California Nebula,” you simply need to understand the history of the shoegaze genre. One does not need to understand Mandarin in order to understand the scope and message of the album. Believed to have emerged from the United Kingdom’s underground psychedelic rock sound, shoegaze has become a defining genre in mainstream music. The term “shoegaze” refers to band members gazing at the

Starting off the new semester strong, Troy’s Welcome Week committee planned a variety of welcome back events to greet new and returning Trojans. Last Thursday morning’s event tied in with the theme of “New Year's Resolutions,” holding a safe space for students to write a letter to spring semester. “I feel like, in some way, it brings students together a little bit, and it also just makes them think about what their goal is for this semester, and what they want for this seme

Every Thursday night, B. Graves holds a trivia night. This night is filled with jokes, laughter and overall joy, bringing people from the city of Troy together as well as the students at the university. “Getting together with friends in a central location in Troy is something I really enjoy,” said Bryson Grimsley, a senior in music education from Abbeville, Alabama, who shared his experience from last Thursday’s trivia night. “This gives me and my trivia partners somethin

Recipe of the Week For the blueberry sauce: 2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen) 2 tbsp. orange juice ¼ cup granulated sugar 1 ½ tbsp. Corn starch 2 tbsp. water For the dough (or use premade dough to save some time!): 1 cup whole milk ¼ cup butter, unsalted, at room temperature 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour 1 (.25 oz) package Platinum Yeast (active dry yeast) ¼ cup granulated sugar 1 egg ½ tsp. Salt ¼ cup water For the filling: ⅓ cup brown sugar 4 tbsp. so

One of the Troy’s Greek organizations dedicated to supporting women in music held a hot chocolate and movie night to kick off its recruitment week last Wednesday. Sigma Alpha Iota is a music fraternity that aims to provide community for women pursuing music whether as a means of career or hobby. The members act as ushers for choir, concert band and symphonic band concerts, and do community service across the John M. Long School of Music and the entire Troy community. “Suppo

I believe one of the most rewarding parts of music exploration is when one finds an album that clicks instantly. Whether by chance, or by trying your hardest to find that feeling, the feeling is always rewarding. One time, the feeling came over me was when I was listening to the album “Dolby’s ON!” by Montreal-based Bataille Solaire. The album has a very wintery vibe to me, as if there’s a crisp wind on a January day. Opening track “Boul” both starts and ends with a glitch

A vision of motivating and inspiring others through a clothing brand that began in middle school recently came to fruition for one Troy University student, and he’s just getting started. Kishon Reynolds, a first-year strategic communication graduate student from Childersburg, Alabama, merged the words future and millionaire to create his brand Fumaire, representing a push for increased productivity and a better quality of living for all. “I've been able to build a communi

SPOILER ALERT! With Jimmy Nichols I used 2025 as the year to educate myself on some of the best movies ever made. For the first time, I watched “Good Morning Vietnam,” “Dead Poets Society” and “The Shining.” Every new movie brought a new experience, enjoyment and appreciation for how movies are laid out and constructed. One movie that builds on this expertly is “Good Will Hunting.” In the breakout film for future A-list actors, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, the audience follo

Anais' Annotations Science fiction as a genre tends to conjure images of robot-human hybrids and spaceships soaring through the sky. In Rachel Ingalls’ 1982 novella “Mrs. Caliban,” this classic definition is put to the test. The author combines elements of science fiction with a psychological thriller; all set in an average suburban home. This tiny book packs a punch of meaning and heartache. The story’s main protagonist, Dorothy, is a highly unstable but compelling characte

Emma's Enlightements This Week’s Advice: Looking Back and Falling Forward. Welcome back! Even though it’s an adjustment going back and forth, I hope everyone had a much needed, restful break. I had a lot to think about during my time back home. Over the break, I learned something important: you can look back, but don’t fall back. I was by myself for a while, and I was thinking way too much. I started missing people I shouldn’t have and falling back into old habits of s

SPOILER ALERT! With Jimmy Nichols 2025 was a bounce-back year for movies following a lackluster 2024. The releases of “Sinners,” “Superman,” “Weapons,” and “Wicked: For Good” helped cinemas recover following a year with only a couple of noteworthy releases. One movie released later in the year was only released on Netflix with much fanfare-- the sequel to the “Knives Out” franchise. This franchise has been one of my favorites since the first movie. Each time they have a

Anais' Annotations After having spent much of my life not being interested in the film version, I decided to take some time during the winter break to read “Dances with Wolves” (1988). Michael Blake’s novel is better known for its film adaptation, a popular culture icon starring Kevin Costner. Despite its cultural lingering in the halls of cinema fame, I found Blake’s story left a lot to be desired. The basics of the plot sound solid: post-Civil War, a United States soldier

I remember sitting in my grandmother’s living room, opening an old box full of small, painted tiles. She used to let me play with them on the floor on the condition that all the tiles went back into the box. She tried to explain the game of Mahjong to me once or twice, but it never stuck in my young brain. I always understood it as a pastime for people who didn’t understand how to open a web browser. However, Mahjong is not just a game for grandparents anymore. The classic g