For students looking to hitch a ride back to campus, learn the latest off-beat campus news or post their opinions about a variety of topics, The Daily Jolt, a multi-faceted Web site intended to give students practical information about campus life, provides these and other services designed to inform students of the AU campus vibe.
Paul Perry, a senior in the School of Public Affairs and head editor of the Jolt, said the site tries to provide "general quirky campus news and fun stuff."
Perry, who is also an Eagle editorial columnist, became editor after he replied to a job listing on Craigslist, a popular marketplace Web site. After filling out the application and going through an interview, he became the head editor, Perry said.
Realizing one of the issues facing the Jolt was the promotion of the site, Perry enlisted the help of his roommate, Russ Hull, a sophomore in the School of Communication and now assistant editor and head of promotions for the Jolt.
AU's site on the Jolt is "a network of campus-specific, student-run Web sites with 500,000 users on 95 college campuses," according to the Daily Jolt's main site.
"Each Jolt has its own personality," Perry said. He said he wants the AU Jolt to be "fun and functional."
According to Perry, the AU Jolt was started by Ed Davis, who graduated from the Kogod School of Business in 2006. The Jolt experienced a lull after Davis' graduation but has made great strides in becoming a staple of the average AU student, Perry said.
The Jolt's features include a "rideboard" where students can post if they need or can offer rides to and from parties, events and university breaks. The marketplace section of the site allows students a place where they can advertise everything from used textbooks to available housing.
There are also restaurant reviews, job postings, TV listings and information on upcoming concerts and local bands. In addition, the site provides a place for students to blog, games to help students procrastinate and a quotes section that lists humorous professor quotes posted by students.
The most popular aspect of the Jolt is the forum section, where users can post questions or comments they have and respond to other users' posts.
Some users say they feel the forum separates the Jolt from other campus publications like The Eagle.
In general, Jolt enthusiasts feel the site gives greater campus coverage.
"People use the Jolt for breaking news on campus and to rant about things happening on campus," said Pat McGill, a junior in the School of Public Affairs and vice president of Student Government. "People write things anonymously that they wouldn't normally say publically. It's raw but some people don't take what they say seriously."
According to Perry, there is a core group of posters who are constantly using the forum. However, Perry says other people read the forum to gauge the campus atmosphere.
The Jolt is always looking to expand and provide more services to students, Perry said. One of the new features they are looking to add is an "I saw you" section where students can submit a post if they saw someone at an event or party and the person they saw can respond, similar to one of the features offered by Craigslist.