A Troy University student, that’s been in a band for the past two years, was finally able to play a show in Troy last Saturday for Halloween night.  The band, ViCTORiA, is comprised of vocalist Bryson Bishop, a Troy student and a senior communications minor from Muscle Shoals, Alabama, guitarist Chandler Brewer, drummer Cody Foster and bass/keyboard playerHenley Phillips. They’ve been a band for two years and in that time, they’ve played numerous shows around their hometown,

Troy’s University Activities Council held a roller-skating night outside of Hawkins Hall on the side lot last Wednesday night. Although the night was chilly, students overlooked it for an enjoyable night of skating.  UAC skate nights are normally held inside with black lights for the neon effect. However, this skate night was held outside, and the neon lights shone just as bright after the sun went down.  Alex Ford photo Students take on roller skaing outside while listening

Anais' Annotations “House of the Dragon” is a spin-off of the hit TV series, “Game of Thrones,” which has had massive success over the last few years. It has taken over TikTok thirst edits and Wattpad fanfic accounts alike. Many people do not realize this addition to the “GOT” universe is based on a prequel novel written by George R.R. Martin, the creative mind behind both the original books and television show.  “Fire and Blood” (2018) is a unique history of the world of Wes

Troy’s National Pan-Hellenic Council organizations put together a tailgate on the Shackleford Quad Saturday afternoon for the Homecoming football game.   The music was curated by DJ Redd and DJ Cree.  “I came out to have a good time and enjoy my subordinates,” said Kendrell Corbitt, a freshman physical therapy major from Hayden, Alabama. “I got to show love for the school and see Troy students have fun.”  Alex Ford photo Students pose for a picture before heading to the Homec

Troy’s International Student Program held its final international student tailgate of the semester Saturday afternoon before the Homecoming football game.  Each international tailgate has been partnered with a different international student organization, Saturday’s being with the Indian and Nepali student organizations. This means all of the food and activities were provided by those two organizations, allowing the students to get a taste of their specific cultures as well a

The fifth consecutive year of the YellowHammer Film Festival was a chart-topper, becoming the first year the competition has been an international affair, with record breaking attendance.   According to Assistant Chair of Art and Design Chris Stagl, this year’s film festival was extremely successful.  “It was a phenomenal day,” Stagl said. “I would say, perhaps, one of our most successful YellowHammers yet.   “We had a record-breaking audience, both in person and online. We s

The Gunn doesn't jam Superhero movies have become one of the most popular genres of this century. The creation of the critically acclaimed Marvel Cinematic Universe started a chain reaction in Hollywood, creating other superhero movies and universes.  One attempt was Warner Bros. trying to start their own cinematic universe with the DCEU. While there were a few good movies in this extended universe, the majority of the films flopped at both the box office and with the fans. 

Horror and thriller movies are key staples of October. With spooky season in full swing, people are breaking out the classic scary movies to get in the Halloween spirit.  One of these movies is Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 film, “The Shining.” I went into this movie with high expectations because it is considered one of the greatest thrillers of all time.  The movie, unfortunately, did not live up to these expectations. While it can be argued how influential it is, the movie felt d

Sorority Hill was the site of an annual Halloween tradition for the community and the university last Thursday, as local families and students alike gathered for Haunted Hill.  Emma Wadsen photo Children grab candy from the table as they are dressed up as characters For the event, each sorority house was decorated for Halloween with themed games and activities, photo booths with spooky props as well assorority members handing out candy outside. They weren’t just there to set

Troy’s University Activities Council and Freshman Forum put together a Pumpkin Painting event on the main quad last Wednesday night.   Pop music played in the background while students painted their creative ideas on their choice of a pumpkin.   “I painted Hello Kitty because I grew up with Hello Kitty, and she’s my favorite character,” said Taliyah Stenson, a sophomore nursing major from LaGrange, Georgia. “She's just so cute.   “These types of events bring everybody out so

Spooky season has started, and on Troy’s campus, that means it is time for Troyapalooza, the annual Halloween bash for students. The event willtake place at the amphitheater and the plaza behind the International Arts Center (IAC) on Oct. 28, once again.   Troyapalooza is a free arts festival with a student focus that will kickstart at 6:30 p.m. This is a unique event that happens yearly before Halloween.Troyapalooza is also included in Troy’s Homecoming Week of events.  “Tr

The International Student Cultural Organization (ISCO) puts on a yearly festival to showcase students’ cultures from all over the world. Next week, ISCO will be holding auditions for this year’s festival.  “The ISCO festival itself is meant to be a showcase of international talent and international food,” said professor and Faculty Advisor for ISCO Dr. Jay Holt Valentine. “It’s, in part, to expose domestic students to culture from around the world, but then likewise, it honor

Anais' Annotations If you like a flair for Southern drama, I have a story that may interest you. Eudora Welty’s “The Optimist’s Daughter” (1972) is a novel that the author developed based on an existing short story, and it is packed with family drama, crazy coincidences and never-ending plot twists.  This is not a book that I would call action-packed, as all of the conflicts are truly interpersonal. It moves at a much slower pace than readers may be used to, but unlike most s

People from around the community gathered at the Troy City Recreation for a Halloween Spooky Movie night held by Truly Chosen. This is one of the many events put on by the organization to help bring community members together.  Truly Chosen is an organization with a mission to promote inclusivity within the community, specifically working with the disabled community. Themembers aim to have an event once a month ranging from hands-on activities, serving the community or events

After nearly a decade and a half of being kept off streaming services, Death Grips’ debut mixtape makes a triumphant return to the limelight of the experimental hip-hop scene. But do the unorthodox samples, cryptic lyrics and oppressive soundscapes still hold up in 2025?  For some background, Death Grips is an experimental hip-hop trio from Sacramento, California. The group consists of Zach Hill on drums, MC Ride on vocals and Flatlander on keyboard. The three work collaborat

Troy’s 101 ELITE Men held “Splash an E.L.I.T.E. Member” on the Trojan Center patio last Thursday to raise money for development events. This event was a fundraiser for the organization. Students could pay $3, $5 or $7 to soak an ELITE member with a small bucket, cooler or 15-second spray down of water, respectively.   “We just want it to be fun,” said Isaiah Daniel, a junior sports management major from Calera, Alabama. “We’re paying for each other to get splashed and everyth

Movie lovers have been blessed in 2025 with some fantastic films. There were superhero films like “The Fantastic Four" and "Superman” and horror movies like "HIM” and “Weapons.”  Few movies this year have received as much love from both critics and fans as the movie “Sinners.” This love for the film set the record for the highest-grossing original movie of the 2020s, earning over $366 million at the box office.  After watching the movie, it deserved every single dollar it got

Recipe of the Week There is truly nothing that gets you in the mood for fall like pumpkin spice. Pair it with a big, fluffy cinnamon roll, and you might as well be in an autumn paradise. The thing about cinnamon rolls, though – they are a lot of work. If proofing yeast and rising dough just is not your thing, these quick and easy pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls might be just what you need to kick off the fall season!  Ingredients:   - 1 can of refrigerated cinnamon rolls (the b

Sigma Tau Delta held a read-in centered around banned books last Wednesday. Students and faculty alike were encouraged to bring excerpts from their favorite banned books and read them aloud.   Topics included themes such as anti-war, racism and profanity. The Banned Books is an annual read-in.  “We’ve been doing this in conjunction with the National Council of Teachers of English,” said Associate Professor of English as well as Co-Sponsor for Sigma Tau Delta Dr. Theresa Johns

Troy’s M.I.S.S. Elite Society and Sparkle Mentoring Club partnered up to put on a Mocktails and Paint Night event in Patterson 105 last Wednesday.  There were two stations where students could choose to get supplies to create a vision board for this year and next year or other art supplies for painting activities. Music played in the background as students worked on their pieces while sipping on fun drinks.   “I found on Pinterest a love bird singing some hearts or whatever o

Anais' Annotations For readers and fans of “Frankenstein” (1818) by Mary Shelley, Alasdair Gray has a twist for you in his 1992 novel, “Poor Things.” This may be a familiar title, as it was recently adapted into a film in 2023 starring Emma Stone. The movie is great, but as always, the book is better.  This novel is a collection of letters, diary entries and medical notes. All of these elements come together to create a collage of different perspectives. Overall, it creates a

An interesting new take on a classic Troy’s Department of Theatre & Dance and College of Arts & Humanities is performing William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.” For those who are unfamiliar with the production, “Twelfth Night” is one of Shakespeare’s comedy plays.   ] The title refers to the eve of the Feast of Epiphany in Christian holiday. This play explores themes of love, grief and chaos as it follows Viola, who has recently lost her brother in a shipwreck, disguising hers

Taylor Swift’s new album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” has garnered some pretty polarizing opinions from all fans. The general consensus:...

I am a sucker for animated movies. The way each movie can have its own sketch of characters who are then put into the visual perspectives...