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You are here: Home / Alikay Wood

Fort Worth Opera puts on annual festival

May 1, 2014 by Alikay Wood

When most students think of opera they likely conjure images of a phantom in a mask or of a large woman wearing a horned helmet while belting out songs at decibel levels too high for the human ear to hear. These stereotypes, while not undeserved, often prevent students from experiencing the artistic magnificence of the operatic tradition. ACU ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Life, Showcase Tagged With: Art, Music

The art of the Netflix binge

April 29, 2014 by Alikay Wood

Last week, I had a research paper due. It was the culmination of a semester's worth of work and while I had done a lot of preparation, the project seemed endless. I had three days to produce a brilliant, scholarly work of art. I needed to descend into the dungeons of the library, listen to dull elevator music and immerse myself in the minutia of ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Columns, Opinion Tagged With: Column

Hitting a high note: ACU opera performs free show

April 24, 2014 by Alikay Wood

The ACU Opera team hopes to introduce ACU students to the genre with "Susannah," an Apocryphal story, this week. Jarrett Ward, senior vocal performance major from Houston and member of the marketing team for "Susannah", said students should have more appreciation for opera music. "The music of opera makes you think, and often makes the ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Life, Showcase Tagged With: ACU Opera

The truth about Taco Bell’s new breakfast menu

April 3, 2014 by Alikay Wood

Taco Bell officially released its new breakfast menu last week after several years of testing. After noticing the success of competitors with breakfast menus, Taco Bell began experimenting with one of its own and found success with several unique items. Taco Bell is known for its cheap, filling take on Mexican food. They have built a reputation on ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Life Tagged With: Reviews

Busyness does not equal happiness

April 1, 2014 by Alikay Wood

When I walk across campus and ask people how they are, the overwhelming answer is a sigh followed by one word - busy. We're college students. We have to be constantly busy, otherwise we're not doing something right. We fill our days and our lives with intramurals, clubs, jobs and homework. We take pride in not getting enough sleep and not being ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Columns, Opinion Tagged With: Column

Beauty and the blog: Student writes for 99dresses fashion blog

March 28, 2014 by Alikay Wood

The questionable attire of female students at ACU (the morality of wearing leggings as pants is a hotly debated topic on campus) has never been an issue for Lexi French, a junior English major from Palestine. French is passionate about fashion and blogs for 99dresses, an up-and-coming fashion app. French first experimented with fashion in high ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Life Tagged With: Fashion, Students

The art of Abilene: Museums are alive and well

March 20, 2014 by Alikay Wood

Every month, downtown Abilene offers an ArtWalk to celebrate culture and the arts. It is an opportunity to experience the cultural heritage of Abilene and also to discover that our city has a surprisingly large art selection. There are several museums across town and numerous opportunities to get involved in through events and classes. The Grace ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Life Tagged With: Around Abilene, Art, Artwalk, Shore art gallery

Breaking up with spring break

March 18, 2014 by Alikay Wood

There is nothing more painful to a first world college student than waking up on the Monday morning after spring break. Months spent in anticipation of a glorious week devoid of all adult responsibilities come crashing down in a sea of research papers, applications and ridiculously long to-do lists. Recovering from spring break requires intense ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Columns, Opinion Tagged With: Spring Break

Mexican standoff: A guide to Mexican cuisine in Abilene

March 4, 2014 by Alikay Wood

One of the best parts about Texas cuisine is the availability of a wide variety of Mexican food. Whether it's cheap, American or authentic, Abilene has something to offer for Mexican food lovers of all kinds. However, this variety can be overwhelming and make it difficult to find the exact type of Mexican food you're craving. In this issue, we ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Life Tagged With: Food Wars, Restaurant Review

Lea Michele’s ‘Louder’ fails to make noise

March 4, 2014 by Alikay Wood

Glee's signature diva Lea Michele released her first solo album, "Louder", this week marking the beginning of her attempt to transfer from the Broadway and TV worlds into a career as a solo artist. Michele grew up on Broadway and is known for her effortless high notes and emotional performances. "Louder" attempts to balance this persona with a ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Life Tagged With: Entertainment, Music, Reviews

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acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
10 Nov

NEWS: Students can officially opt out of Wildcat Access program for the spring 2026 semester. The opt out period will run from today through Nov. 23.

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acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
1 Nov

BREAKING NEWS: The winners of the 2025 Homecoming Parade are: Sanctify in the student organization division, Ko Jo Kai in the sorority division and Gamma Sigma Phi in the fraternity division.

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2 months ago

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Andrew North was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at 3 months old; he’s never known life without it. Now, in his late 20s and married, North has cultivated a fulfilling life despite facing adversity from the perceived limitations of his chronic disease. North is an ACU graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in marriage and family services.To read more, visit acuoptimist.com or click the link below. #acuoptimist #abilenechristianuniversity #feature acuoptimist.com/2025/11/grad-student-with-cystic-fibrosis-wins-scholarship-strives-to-make-an-imp...📝: Callie Leverett ... See MoreSee Less

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2 months ago

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The Indian Culture Association hosted their annual Golden Gala last Saturday at Hillcrest Church. Students, faculty, and members of ICA gathered together to celebrate the beauty of Indian Culture. To view the full photo gallery, visit acuoptimist.com or click the link below. #acuoptimist #abilenechristianuniversity #photography acuoptimist.com/2025/11/gallery-ica-hosts-the-annual-golden-gala/📸: Callie Brimberry ... See MoreSee Less

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