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Serving The University of Alabama since 1894.

The Crimson White


Serving The University of Alabama since 1894.

The Crimson White

Serving The University of Alabama since 1894.

The Crimson White

All content by SoRelle Wyckoff

My college story: education, experience, challenge, change at the Capstone

SoRelle Wyckoff April 22, 2013

I have had two types of educational experiences during my four years at The University of Alabama. The first is the academic. So, thank you to the professors whohave inspired me and challenged me. In...

Without speech, graduation is just ‘ants on parade’

SoRelle Wyckoff April 15, 2013

A few weeks ago, my parents mailed me a book titled “What Now?” by Ann Patchett. Based on a commencement speech Patchett gave at Sarah Lawrence College, it’s addressed to graduating college students....

Financial planning classes should be required at UA

SoRelle Wyckoff April 8, 2013

Everyone keeps talking about this “real world” that I’m about to enter into. Apparently, on May 4 I’m going to pass through a portal into some new dimension where life is harder, and I’m suddenly...

Machine madness to blame for this year’s low SGA election voter turnout

SoRelle Wyckoff March 18, 2013

Another SGA election has come and gone – one much quieter than most. Only 17 percent of the student body even bothered to log on to myBama and cast a vote. There was an absence of Election Day mania,...

Tuscaloosa still moving steadily toward improvement

SoRelle Wyckoff March 4, 2013

The walls around The University of Alabama are imaginary, but at times, they block the view of the Tuscaloosa community. Sometimes, we simply forget that there is more to this town than the University....

Aggression toward students creates an unhappy student body at Alabama

SoRelle Wyckoff February 25, 2013

When I was little, I had a white, ceramic piggy bank. When I wanted to get money out, I had to remove a rubber plug on the underbelly of the white pig and meticulously pull dollar bills out one at a...

Saban should remove criminal players without question

SoRelle Wyckoff February 18, 2013

Glancing at the muted television, I watched the words scroll along the bottom of CNN: “Four Alabama players arrested.” Obviously, I was embarrassed. These words were soon followed by: “Saban removes...

UA's opportunity for increased sustainability is now

UA’s opportunity for increased sustainability is now

SoRelle Wyckoff February 11, 2013

The University of Alabama is covered in construction projects. Preparing for the future with a new recreation center, dorms and education facilities is smart, but it could be smarter. As the University...

Truth, integrity essential in the pursuit of societal greatness

Truth, integrity essential in the pursuit of societal greatness

SoRelle Wyckoff February 4, 2013

As a country, we have an obsession with greatness. Our school has one too, but that’s to be expected considering our athletic department. Within this obsession of greatness is an obsession with the...

Solutions to on-campus traffic problems require patience and bike etiquette

Solutions to on-campus traffic problems require patience and bike etiquette

SoRelle Wyckoff January 28, 2013

The new year provides the University the opportunity to make necessary yet achievable resolutions to better this campus. One area we undoubtedly need improvement in is the relationship between pedestrian,...

Our violent culture must be severed at the roots

Our violent culture must be severed at the roots

SoRelle Wyckoff January 14, 2013

Exactly one month ago, the United States was faced with a tragedy of monstrous proportions: the murder of 26 children and teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary school in Newtown, Conn. With these tragedies...

Drones: the Vietnam bombings of today’s wars

SoRelle Wyckoff December 3, 2012

During the third presidential debate between President Obama and Governor Romney, the two were asked about drones. Both candidates, shockingly, agreed and supported the use of unmanned combat vehicles...

Decreasing hours covered in tuition costs a sly money strategy

SoRelle Wyckoff November 26, 2012

When I decided to attend The University of Alabama as an out-of-state student, I knew each semester’s tuition would be well-planned by my parents. My job was to apply for scholarships through both the...

Covers still exist because you are willing to pay them

SoRelle Wyckoff November 19, 2012

Tuscaloosa is so fabulous sometimes it overwhelms me. This is a deep-south college campus that has more David Yurman rings and Mercedes in one condensed area than the nearby country club. But I don’t...

Alabama residents should educate themselves before voting straight-ticket

SoRelle Wyckoff November 8, 2012

On Tuesday, Mitt Romney was supported by over 60 percent of Alabama, one of the highest state supports in the nation. This was as expected - no shock value in the presidential outcome of our red state....

Election day: the choice between two different ideas of republicanism

SoRelle Wyckoff November 6, 2012

When the founding fathers met in a hot, Philadelphia statehouse during the summer of 1787, they created a document that has outlasted its writers, its first interpreters and its original population. And...

Obama supports women’s choices

SoRelle Wyckoff October 31, 2012

On Aug. 26, 1920, American women were granted the right to vote. Ninety-two years later, we are witnessing an election reliant on the support of the “woman vote.” Currently, women hold around 17 percent...

PBS: ‘base upon which education is built’

SoRelle Wyckoff October 25, 2012

I grew up watching PBS. Sesame Street, Wishbone and Arthur are vivid in my memory; they are a part of the base upon which my education is built. Sure, bird jokes are pretty funny, and they make great...

Use this page as your tool to build an informed voter

SoRelle Wyckoff October 22, 2012

Tonight is the third and final presidential debate between President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney. The preceding debates have raked in record-breaking viewership numbers, and tonight’s will...

Absence of Steve Jobs reflective in lackluster iPhone 5

SoRelle Wyckoff October 15, 2012

The Apple empire has dominated the technological world for the past decade. The iPod, iPhone, iPad and Mac have redefined the fields of music, phones, tablets and computers, as well as introducing a slew...

Proposed Tuscaloosa business ban would be a gross outreach for city

SoRelle Wyckoff October 1, 2012

The Tuscaloosa City Council is currently considering a moratorium banning certain businesses from operating within the Tuscaloosa City limits. Among these business types are tattoo parlors, tobacco shops,...

Julia’s Market improves with health, fails with price

SoRelle Wyckoff September 17, 2012

I survived off of anything microwavable my freshman year. I lived on the top floor of Julia Tutwiler Hall, and options were limited to anything that could fit in the three-by-six-by-three refrigerator...

New Alabama texting, driving legality trumped by sensibility

SoRelle Wyckoff September 12, 2012

The newest Alabama law to consume our media is yet another that epitomizes legal impracticality. Alabama’s texting while driving law went into effect a few weeks ago. And, as all ideas originate, it...

Campus growth has potential under Bailey

SoRelle Wyckoff September 9, 2012

It’s not that I am against campus growth. With growth come better resources and opportunities. What I am against is how we have grown. The unnecessary growing pains and strains have associated the idea...

OPINION: Thanks to UA for student-friendly football ticket policy

SoRelle Wyckoff August 27, 2012

I believe in positive reinforcement. So, in giving credit where credit is due, a moment of well-deserved thanks and snaps for The University of Alabama administration and their student football ticket...

Political conversation becoming increasingly personal

SoRelle Wyckoff August 21, 2012

As children, we are taught to respect others’ personal space and to expect the same treatment for ourselves. A physical radius was invisibly drawn around us, and for many, this translated into manners...

Olympics coverage should stay on sports

SoRelle Wyckoff August 1, 2012

This is the most wonderful time of the year – or rather, of the past four years. For two weeks, we are blessed with countless hours of television showing – quite possibly the only athletic event better...

Screen violence could be breaking wall between entertainment, reality

SoRelle Wyckoff July 25, 2012

The mass shooting that took place in Aurora, Colo., during the midnight premiere of the newest “Batman” installment has conjured up many emotions throughout the nation. The first, most natural and...

Image of women in the workforce reflective in “Newsroom”

SoRelle Wyckoff July 18, 2012

Part of my summer assignments to myself involved catching up on various television shows, made possible by actual free time and my parent’s premium channel subscription. I just finished catching up...

OPINION: Learning from UVA in our presidential selection

OPINION: Learning from UVA in our presidential selection

SoRelle Wyckoff July 3, 2012

My junior and senior years of high school I spent more time flipping through the pages of my “Princeton Review Best 376 Colleges” book than I did flipping through my textbooks. My fingers traced down...

Beware of living in cyber-world this summer

SoRelle Wyckoff June 13, 2012

During the summer, we have the opportunity to leave our working week schedules of the Fall and Spring semesters and venture. Some of us are lucky enough to pursue our studies at the Capstone or local community...

The lessons of past destruction

The lessons of past destruction

SoRelle Wyckoff April 27, 2012

Throughout history, towns affected by tornadoes have rebuilt from among the rubble. Tuscaloosa now faces the same task of redevelopment and can draw from the past for hints to the future. “By looking...

Joplin, Tuscaloosa share kindred spirit in recovery

SoRelle Wyckoff April 27, 2012

Less than one month after Tuscaloosa’s clash with Mother Nature, a small city in the Midwest met a similar foe. Joplin, Mo. was hit with an EF5 tornado on May 22, 2011, which claimed the lives of 161...

Political definitions create political divisions

SoRelle Wyckoff April 17, 2012

I had an interesting conversation in my honors seminar today. The professor asked our class of 12 if we considered ourselves “liberal.” After looking around the table, most of us nodded our heads...

Alabama lottery should be reconsidered

SoRelle Wyckoff April 3, 2012

I bought my first lottery ticket on my eighteenth birthday, and I bought my second one this weekend. On my birthday, it was a purely symbolic purchase. I bought it alongside a Swisher Sweets cigar (classy,...

Walking campus necessary to help prevent accidents

SoRelle Wyckoff March 29, 2012

On Tuesday, when Twitter blew up about a University of Alabama student getting hit by a car, the immediate reaction was worry and compassion. But eventually, as the story spread, I witnessed unsurprised...

Women underrepresented, yet unsupportive in SGA politics

SoRelle Wyckoff March 8, 2012

As a history major, I have learned that great change is more of a weathering process than an overnight fix, and only after years of time will we have two stark points of comparison. However, as a journalism...

In search of beauty, don’t compromise your health

SoRelle Wyckoff March 1, 2012

With spring break quickly approaching, females on this campus are taking drastic measures to prepare themselves for swimsuit season. A male-dominated world has created a laundry list describing the perfect...

Author discusses post-slavery presence

Author discusses post-slavery presence

SoRelle Wyckoff February 27, 2012

Discussing the South’s history can be tricky, especially while in the South, but Pulitzer Prize winner Douglas Blackmon spoke to a full room Thursday night in Gorgas 205 about the history of the post-civil...

Emoticons an evolution of language, expression

Emoticons an evolution of language, expression

SoRelle Wyckoff February 21, 2012

We have seen some truly remarkable evolutions of communication since the new millennium. Increase in the prevalence of cell phones eliminated the need to consistently know where our contact was or what...

Birth control debate about health, not premarital sex

SoRelle Wyckoff February 15, 2012

The government based on separation of church and state has found out its relationship with the Catholic Church just the opposite. It’s Barack Obama vs. Pope Benedict XVI in the arena of contraception....

Super Bowl commercials selling something new to Americans

SoRelle Wyckoff February 8, 2012

Let’s talk about Super Bowl commercials. These are the best of the best of the worst thing about television. These commercials tell us a lot about America’s year. They reflect our interests and attractions....

City, students must work to build relationship

City, students must work to build relationship

SoRelle Wyckoff February 6, 2012

Tuscaloosa is a college town. And where we succeed in education, football and campus life, we lack in shopping, restaurants and living opportunities. If you’re hoping for a good meal or decent shopping,...

Theory: Lana Del Ray . . . Is a robot?

Theory: Lana Del Ray . . . Is a robot?

SoRelle Wyckoff January 30, 2012

Elizabeth Grant was a conflicted youth. She was shipped away to boarding school for flirting with drugs and alcohol. She was a struggling artist. She was also the perfect variable to complete the entertainment...

Why morals matter in one race for the White House

Why morals matter in one race for the White House

SoRelle Wyckoff January 23, 2012

We all know everyone’s tired of the “Grand Ole Party” conversation. The New York Times pitied the state of South Carolina on Friday, saying, “Not even the dead can find sanctuary from the bombardment...

Question philanthropy’s motive

SoRelle Wyckoff January 19, 2012

When I was in seventh grade, I saw an article in “Time: For Kids” magazine. The philanthropic opportunity intrigued me. For $25, I could buy a pair of canvas shoes, and another child across the world...

A taste of honesty in Donald Glover

A taste of honesty in Donald Glover

SoRelle Wyckoff January 18, 2012

Amidst the revolutions and protests, there are faces that stand out from the crowd as symbols of change or hope. Donald Glover served as the face of protestors with a real cause. In the face of disaster,...

Textbook system flawed

SoRelle Wyckoff January 18, 2012

Starting school means a slew of preparation activities. Buying school supplies used to be fun, but ever since textbooks showed up on the checklist, school supply shopping became dreaded. But my frustration...

A new year, a new chance to have your voice heard

SoRelle Wyckoff January 12, 2012

New Year’s Eve is my favorite holiday for a few reasons. Everyone recognizes the importance of New Year’s Eve. It is the end of the accepted calendar year, a fact that no one can disagree with. It...

Going into airplane mode

SoRelle Wyckoff December 5, 2011

Maybe I’m the only one, but these past few weeks, I’ve noticed that a lot of people are a little tense. Maybe we’ve been a little out of sync since that whack LSU game. Maybe it’s because the weather...

Machine not essential for greek success

SoRelle Wyckoff November 21, 2011

It’s never easy to admit your faults. It’s even harder when your failures are thrown at you on the pages of the student newspaper. But as history shows us, it’s how mistakes are handled that determines...

Students have opportunity to give feedback

SoRelle Wyckoff November 14, 2011

The University of Alabama has always claimed itself as a place that seeks improvement and growth, and right now it seems to be undergoing more constructive change than normal. There have been many issues...

Hatred, anger won’t help University

SoRelle Wyckoff October 23, 2011

If a visiting student were to pick up a copy of The Crimson White, what would they read? They would see words like “leadership” and “innovation” that symbolize the positive growth of our campus....

Encourage others to be a part of change

SoRelle Wyckoff October 17, 2011

Change is in the air. It’s an indescribable sensation. The core of our cultural institutions is being challenged. The United States is undergoing a change. Today marks one month since Occupy Wall Street...

Apple’s Siri will change the way we think of technology

SoRelle Wyckoff October 10, 2011

The arrival of the new iPhone last Tuesday had people buzzing with excitement. The rumors ranged from a new operating system to an iPhone 5, and with a new CEO, Tim Cook, to lead the presentation. Alas,...

Welcome to the family, Aggies

SoRelle Wyckoff October 6, 2011

The SEC is a family; a family focused on tradition, good football and, well, winning. The SEC family prides itself in holding the most football national championships of any conference, mostly thanks to...

Run parking problems out of town

SoRelle Wyckoff October 3, 2011

We have accepted parking as an issue that cannot really be alleviated. There are too many cars for too few spots, and we know that more parking passes are sold than spots available. We have accepted the...

Acceptance necessary for growth

SoRelle Wyckoff September 26, 2011

There is a lot to say about the strength of tradition and the power of change. The University of Alabama has the vision of both maintaining tradition and creating new precedents. So much of our school...

It’s not you, Block Seating. It’s me.

SoRelle Wyckoff September 19, 2011

Watching a relationship crumble into relationship rubble has few positives, but one of them is some form of entertainment. The level of entertainment depends on how dramatic the separate individuals are...

Tragedy brings about changes

SoRelle Wyckoff September 12, 2011

Tragedies are given their name because of the intense impact they have on an individual. Large-scale tragedies are especially brutal due to the varying affects they have on different people. But uniformly,...

FIVE makes dining decisions easy

FIVE makes dining decisions easy

SoRelle Wyckoff September 8, 2011

The owners of Chuck’s Fish brought a new, simplified dining experience to downtown Tuscaloosa in January in the form of FIVE. Near the Bama Theatre, FIVE restaurant and bar offers a simple menu: each...

Building numbers isn’t building a university

SoRelle Wyckoff August 29, 2011

The search for a college home is one of the most instrumental decisions a student can make. For our freshman class, this process is still fresh on the mind, having just made the commitment to Alabama months...

Downtown gets new cupcake shop

Downtown gets new cupcake shop

SoRelle Wyckoff August 29, 2011

Selma natives Mary Caroline Booth and her mother have always wanted to own a store and share their culinary creations with others. This summer, their dream came true when they opened a shop that features...

Remember what you want,

SoRelle Wyckoff April 19, 2011

This semester I changed my major to history and English. Against the advice of many, I dedicated my studies to something I am genuinely interested in, yet at the same time, one that lacks any definite...

Greek musician to perform, lecture

SoRelle Wyckoff April 19, 2011

Music often plays an intricate part in the culture of a group of people or society. In this way, music has become a fascination for many through its ability to express ideas and emotions that words often...

Creative Campus hosts GLBTQA art

Creative Campus hosts GLBTQA art

SoRelle Wyckoff March 29, 2011

Art has often been credited with having the ability to speak without words and break down barriers caused by political, social or religious differences. This is the objective behind Breaking Boundaries,...

Fans feed off Odd Future's energy

Fans feed off Odd Future’s energy

SoRelle Wyckoff March 29, 2011

Standing outside the fences of the 2011 Thrasher South by South West show in Austin, Texas, was not enough for the crowd. Fueled by the energy of the performers, the mob pushed down the gates and rushed...

DCAF’s sophomore year sees changes

SoRelle Wyckoff March 25, 2011

A year ago the Creative Campus Initiative held the first Druid City Arts Festival in downtown Tuscaloosa. Thousands of members of the community and the University celebrated a day’s worth of music and...

Acoustic night at the Bama

SoRelle Wyckoff March 23, 2011

After asking singer/songwriter Dylan Sneed how his tour was going, his answer was surprising. “It’s… not going, actually,” he said. The last time Sneed was in Tuscaloosa, it was one of the many...

New tattoo parlor opens in Tuscaloosa

SoRelle Wyckoff March 10, 2011

When a state trooper walked into newly opened tattoo parlor All Inkd Up, its owner didn’t know what to think. But his worries were in vain. The state trooper, who already had several tattoos, was familiar...

Sakura Festival displays Japanese culture

SoRelle Wyckoff March 3, 2011

The 25th annual Sakura Festival will take place throughout the month of March around the Tuscaloosa community. The festival highlights Japanese culture through music, art and education.  With the help...

Freshman named first Bama Idol

Freshman named first Bama Idol

SoRelle Wyckoff February 16, 2011

View Video Last night the Ferguson Center Ballroom sat in silence awaiting the announcement of the first-ever Bama Idol winner. With a title, an iPad and a Flip camera up for grabs, the night came to...

Bama Idol singers take the stage

SoRelle Wyckoff February 15, 2011

The University  of Alabama will put its own spin on “American Idol” Wednesday night in the Ferguson Center Ballroom as 10 student finalists take the stage in hopes of receiving the title of the first...

Play set in Great Depression to open Valentine’s Day

Play set in Great Depression to open Valentine’s Day

SoRelle Wyckoff February 8, 2011

As Feb. 14 looms closer, one group of students will be focused on something other than Valentine’s Day. Next Monday, the department of theater and dance is debuting “Flora, the Red Menace.” The...

Horny's Bar and Grill brings a taste of New Orleans to The Strip

Horny’s Bar and Grill brings a taste of New Orleans to The Strip

SoRelle Wyckoff February 2, 2011

Nestled in a corner of The Strip on Red Drew Avenue is the newest addition to Tuscaloosa nightlife. Horny’s Bar and Grill, formerly Bama Dogs, opened its doors a few weeks ago and welcomed the community...

PixelCon gathers gamers at Ferg

PixelCon gathers gamers at Ferg

SoRelle Wyckoff January 30, 2011

On Saturday, the Ferguson Center was taken over by television screens, gaming consoles, graphic posters and fans of the gaming world. Hundreds of “gamers” attended the second annual PixelCon gaming...

Housing sponsors first-ever Bama Idol

Housing sponsors first-ever Bama Idol

SoRelle Wyckoff January 26, 2011

The title of the “first-ever Bama Idol” is up for grabs for those who think they’ve got what it takes to win. Students living in on-campus residence halls were e-mailed the list of audition times...

Bama to feature area photography

Bama to feature area photography

SoRelle Wyckoff January 20, 2011

In the second floor gallery at the Bama Theatre in downtown Tuscaloosa, the work of Alabama photographers line the walls for the 8th annual Double Exposure Juried Photograph Exhibit. The exhibit, presented...

‘Hilaritas’ brings singing and jazz to UA

SoRelle Wyckoff December 3, 2010

Tuning through the radio stations, one can hear holiday music taking over the airwaves. Music that has been saved throughout the year is pulled off the shelves and played continuously, bringing with it...

Acoustic Night to host Glier, Sparrow + the Ghost

Acoustic Night to host Glier, Sparrow + the Ghost

SoRelle Wyckoff November 17, 2010

MTV Live Music Sessions and VH1 Unplugged offer various artists the chance to play their music in a setting other than a concert or recording studio. Whether the musician is a pop or rock performer, these...

Author emphasizes importance of travel

Author emphasizes importance of travel

SoRelle Wyckoff November 9, 2010

Most English students at the University do not live as hobos or travel the roads of Peru. Ted Conover found a way to connect these and other experiences of his own to the writing techniques of college...

Pageant comes to Tuscaloosa

Pageant comes to Tuscaloosa

SoRelle Wyckoff November 4, 2010

Forty-three years ago, a junior from the University of Alabama took the stage at the Miss Universe pageant and won. Nominated by older girls in her sorority, Sylvia Hitchcock borrowed a gown, put on a...

Fine dining brought to Northport

SoRelle Wyckoff October 20, 2010

The empty building on the corner of 5th Street and Main Avenue in downtown Northport quietly opened its doors to a new restaurant last week. The tables were dressed, draped with white cloths and accessorized...

‘Bourgeois’ brings laughs to Allen Bales

SoRelle Wyckoff October 15, 2010

Next week, the UA theatre department will open their doors to offer the community some comic relief. From Oct. 18-24, UATD will put on “The Bourgeois Gentleman,” a musical play written by French playwright...

Draper named Miss Sorority Row

SoRelle Wyckoff October 3, 2010

On Friday night at the Bama Theatre, the crowd was buzzing. Girls sat with their sororities, many carrying signs of support for their representative in the third annual Miss Sorority Row pageant. First...

Pageant helps fund charities

Pageant helps fund charities

SoRelle Wyckoff September 30, 2010

Young women will take the stage and represent their sorority in the third annual Miss Sorority Row pageant tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the Bama Theatre. Tickets cost $11, but they are nearly sold out, said...

City Café one of Northport's great diners

City Café one of Northport’s great diners

SoRelle Wyckoff September 26, 2010

Driving through downtown Northport on a quiet afternoon paints a lazy picture. It’s a slow-paced area on the edge of Tuscaloosa and the home of acclaimed, local diner, City Café. City Café is a classic...

Exhibit features work by black artists

SoRelle Wyckoff September 8, 2010

In 1963, a group of black artists joined together to form “The Spiral Group.” Their goal was to increase the identity of black artists in contemporary America. The Ferguson Center Art Gallery will...

Exhibit features works by black artist group

Exhibit features works by black artist group

SoRelle Wyckoff September 7, 2010

In 1963, a group of black artists joined together to form “The Spiral Group.” Their goal was to increase the identity of black artists in contemporary America. The Ferguson Center Art Gallery will...

Campus gallery shows student photos

Campus gallery shows student photos

SoRelle Wyckoff August 31, 2010

When students come back from summer vacation, often their experiences are variations of the same stories about going to the beach or summer jobs and internships. However, Lizzie Beale, a sophomore majoring...

Johnny Shines Blues Festival to be held Saturday

Johnny Shines Blues Festival to be held Saturday

SoRelle Wyckoff August 26, 2010

The South has a culture of its own. Few Southerners would not proudly claim the gems of their region, whether it is barbeque, good music or hospitality. Many of these things have become symbols of the...

Sneed, Sparrow and the Ghost to play Bama

Sneed, Sparrow and the Ghost to play Bama

SoRelle Wyckoff August 19, 2010

Most musicians release a record with the help of an investment, a producer and a lot of money. Singer/songwriter Dylan Sneed is taking a different approach. A grassroots effort, his new album “Texodus”...

25 years of mudbugs and music

SoRelle Wyckoff April 29, 2010

Twenty-five years ago, a few friends got together for crawfish and music in a backyard. Today, that crawfish boil has grown into Birmingham’s Schaeffer Eye Center Crawfish Boil. This weekend, about...

Alabama Choir School takes stage for 25th anniversary

SoRelle Wyckoff April 28, 2010

This weekend more than 180 choir members will take the stage for the 25th anniversary celebration of the Alabama Choir School. The Alabama Choir School is a community-based music education program for...