Troy University Blues

On Prayer and Promises
Troy was just another four letter word to me when I was growing up 31
miles away in Ozark, Alabama, a great place to retire is Ozark's claim
to fame, which really means that it a great place to grow mold and
die. It's not really the best place for eccentrically uninterested
youths like my self. I didn't have the ideal home life, I didn't have
anything Often times I felt like I didn't have anything to look
forward to. My female parental unit would tell me, always in a
condescending voice, that "you will go to Troy State and you better
graduate". She always got her way, or else, so resistance was futile
right? NO, Because I'm a fighter That's why I had to defy my destiny;
I couldn't go to Troy state, ever! That would be like accepting my
unhappy fate and succumbing to a life where I'm and adult yet still at
the mercy of my mother's thumb. So I ran away, as far as I could
manage. I was an emancipated youth. I was finally free, but my victory was
bitter sweet. I was no long being hurt but I still felt the pain of
being alone in this world. I was not longer dependant on anyone but
myself, but I wanted some one to care for and some one to need me. I
felt cheated, life gave me a family that didn't belong to me and I
felt the only alternative was to just not have a family. About this
time I realized that the one thing I wanted out of life was to have
the loving bonds of family. So I made the choice to try. So with my
savior in heart, my soul in hand, and my sanity at stake, I un-ran
away to I a little place that's not too close, but not so far away.

My New Family
I first began my affiliation with Troy State University 's Sound of
The Sound Marching Band in the fall of 2003. I was working at
Wal-Mart when a co-worker, whom I felt was unmentionably cute, learned
that I played clarinet in high school. He kept pestering me to join band, and he
even brought me an information and recruitment sheet. I never thought
that I'd actually do it; but I promised to submit the form. I went to
orientation day and band camp because I wasn't obligated to
participate until camp was over. I was a mess, everything confused me,and financially
things were looking bad for me. I kept trying to work things out, andI was glad
I did. I really believe that all people who are musically inclined
share a bond and an eccentricity that I've yet to find anywhere else.
Bands people really care about each other.
This supreme love of music brings together people from all walks of
life and gives us common ground to stand on together. By the end of
the two-week camp I was completely smitten with The Sound. As a
matter of fact the band was more like a family to me, then just
another extra curricular activity. I found more friends then I could possiblyhandle,
more invitations to fun activities than I could possibly go to, and
I'd earned an organization to be proud of for the Sound has quite animpressive reputation.
SO… Sit Back and Relax Here's: THE SOUND OF THE SOUTH!!!!!!!
That's the phrase that everyone, who ever dared to grace a Troy University
Football game's half time entertainment show, knows very well. "The Sound Of
The South Marching Band", nick named (SOTS), takes the field to support
Our Trojan fans and players and from the moment we do… breaths get
Taken away!
Our marching style is classic and precise with a little organized
chaos every now and then. We take pride in being a more traditional
band with style, tact, and pride. At times the band is unappreciated,not included
, and some people don't even like our performances, but we don't care,we're here to play
hard and chew bubble gum. Bubble gum not included. We are always the first to
arrive the last to preform and always the ones to help clean up after the crowd leaves. We do
these things for the love of good music.
Speaking of Good Music...
That particular year we preformed an Earth, Wind, and Fire show, and it was truly awesome.
There's a particular ride in the pick up to the song "In The Stone" that just
moved me so much that I couldn't play my instrument! My marching suffered
because I was so wrapped up in the sound; the melody was mesmerizing
to me! That semester was awesome and my time spent with my new family,
The Sound, prompted my interest in Tau Beta Sigma.
"Tau Beta Sigma is an honorary service organizations whose sole purpose is to serve the university band programs through service projects,fund raisers,
social events and other projects as needed".(TBS Misson statement)
I enjoyed hanging out with the sisters and in the Spring of 2004 Pledged as a line of one ,
and crossed into the sorority on March 18. And what a happy day it was for me!
I never felt such a great sense of completion and pride and so many
other indescribable emotions. Since then I've found so much Love and Happiness
with my fellow brothers and sisters; I know I can trust them, rely on them for anything,
And I know it will always be this way. I'm so thankful that I ended up at Troy, and I no
longer harbor any mean thoughts about the university (except for my qualms about the parking).