For incoming freshmen, the search for friends at ASU can be nerve-racking without knowing anyone on a campus with 50,000 students.
But two incoming freshmen hope a Web site will change that.
Business freshman Jon Parks and political science freshman Sahith Aula, both Tempe natives, created a free Web site called DevilChill.com where students can get to know each other before arriving at the University and get information and opinions about the University from other students.
"We were both talking one night because we were looking on the Internet for ASU sites to talk to students and get information," said Parks. "There's a lot of stuff that they're not going to put on the official ASU Web site. We just wanted to get more of a student's perspective."
The forums, or discussion boards where people respond to topics, discuss everything from what classes to take to which restaurants to eat at.
"[The forum topics] were questions we had ourselves about certain things," said Aula. "Get a few opinions, find out what the professors are like firsthand so you're not just shooting in the dark."
Members communicate through e-mail, instant message and forums.
DevilChill.com, with 54 members, has contests such as the dorm room awards in which students vote for the messiest dorm, the dorm with the most attractive occupants and a few other categories.
Parks and Aula plan on adding more features to their site, such as a daily journal of one person's experience at ASU.
Parks, who said he has been making Web sites for four years, said he and Aula bought Google.com links to make his site more visible on the Web.
Though the two aren't making money from the Web site, they said advertising could eventually fund the site, which they hope will become increasingly popular.
"This site allows me to interact with other ASU students and has greatly increased my enthusiasm for college," said Craig Carboni, a bioengineering freshman. "I look forward to signing on each day to find out what is new in the ASU community."
Other Web sites for meeting people at ASU have appeared recently.
Since 2003, SunDevil-Singles.com has been operating as a free dating Web site, which searches member profiles and matches people who share similar interests.
Members include students, faculty and alumni. There is also an option for members to have photos in their profile.
Another Web site that was created by students is ASUfacebook.com, with 929 people. This free site is also for students, faculty and alumni and is not solely a dating Web site.
Upon signing up, a profile is created that can be searched and read by other members. Members communicate through messages sent to their personal mailbox.
"I think facebook gives students a chance to meet and interact with people they would not usually hang out with," said Brandon Thies, a journalism and mass communication senior. "Facebook helps a lot at a school like ASU where the student population is so big. It definitely brings everyone at ASU closer together while in a more intimate setting."
Reach the reporter at shaina.levee@asu.edu.
