The best way to stay updated at the University of South Carolina is not the school newspaper, television channel, or even the Carolina Alert system; it is the student-run Twitter account @DrinkingTicket. One of the two men behind this account is senior Michael Danko. Danko, a criminology and criminal justice major, collaborated with his fraternity brother Alex Waelde freshman year to create the DrinkingTicket account. They hoped to create a reliable source of information for the students of USC, but never dreamed that it would become as popular as it has. While Danko admits that the pair initially had concerns with redundant tweeting, they have since developed a system of splitting the information between them. What started as a small Twitter account no one had heard of and a hopeful sticker campaign has grown to one of the most viewed accounts on campus with 27.5 thousand followers.
In terms of competition, USC’s only comparable source is the Carolina Alert system of texts and tweets. However, Carolina Alert has developed a reputation for dragging its feet to deliver news. Carolina Alert also only reports on incidents occurring directly on campus, ignoring popular student housing complexes and the downtown area. “While the Carolina Alert is a great system the university has in place to alert students, I feel that there’s something better about DrinkingTicket because it is supported by the users who follow it. With approximately 30,000 students on campus and our 27.5k followers, it’s easier for us to tweet information and spread the news about things as they happen instead of waiting for the ‘red tape’ that can come with Carolina Alert. If there is a gas leak in Swearingen, people tweet at us and ask if classes are cancelled. If fire trucks show up at Olympia & Granby Mills, it’s not necessarily a school related event, but it helps people stay calm when we can tell them that they’re only there to help someone out of a stuck elevator,” said Danko.
When he’s not working on DrinkingTicket, Danko is busy with his responsibilities as a brother of Lambda Chi Alpha and preparing for graduation this coming spring. When asked what would become of DrinkingTicket after his graduation, Danko said he isn’t quite sure yet and plans to use the next few months to figure that out. To those looking to start a popular public social media account, Danko warns that it is a difficult task. However, he also encourages students to embrace their ideas, and says, “Anybody can create something viral if they put the time and effort into getting the word out.”
Never miss anything happening around Cola! Follow @DrinkingTicket now!