Before you test: what we're trying to build

A 3-minute read. It's here so you can test Bump against what it's meant to do — and tell us honestly where it lands and where it misses.

One small favour first. If you can, use Bump for a day or two before you read past the mission below. Your unfiltered gut reaction — delightful? confusing? annoying? — is the single most valuable thing you can give us, and you only get one first impression. Come back to the "why" afterwards and tell us where our intentions matched your experience, and where they didn't.

🎯Our north star

A world where students are not alone.

To empower students and enable their success. That's the whole purpose — the one thing every design decision gets checked against. It's also why we're asking you: we build with students, not just for them.

Everything below is downstream of that sentence. As you use Bump, the real question we're asking isn't "did you like it" — it's "does the app actually deliver on this, or does it get in its own way?"

⏳The 30-hour window & the freemium idea

When you bump into someone, you each get a 30-hour window to say hello. Message in time and it's free, forever. We're also exploring a $5/month option that would extend that window to 2–3 days — and we want your honest read on it.

Why 30 hours, and why keep it a little tight? Two reasons. First, 30 hours covers the natural cases — you meet someone in a 2pm lecture and want to message casually at 6pm the next day, not seem too eager. Second, and more honestly: it's a gentle nudge toward staying on top of things. A prompt message is itself a small signal that you're organized. I built this fresh out of Western, thinking back on every paper I submitted at 11:59pm and every all-nighter two nights before the exam. If a low-stakes tool had nudged me to be a little better with deadlines — annoying as it'd have been — I think past-me would've been better for it.

And if you're already good with deadlines? You never need to pay us a cent. Just message within 30 hours — it's plenty. We don't actually want your money; we'd rather you just got a little sharper. The $5 option is for the "everything costs money and we need to keep the lights on to reach more students" reality — priced deliberately low (we considered the industry-typical ~$30/mo and chose $5, because the price should say what we value).

As a pilot tester, premium is on us — the extended window is already yours, so nothing here gates you. We're not showing you a paywall; we just genuinely want to know: does the 30-hour window feel useful, or just annoying? Is $5/month fair, too much, or would you never pay for this at all? Tell us straight.

🛡️The Boot system

Two things are non-negotiable, protected with zero tolerance: (1) a positive, healthy community culture and (2) student safety, security, and trust. The hard part is guaranteeing them in an open, liberating space — without the millions of dollars it takes to hire armies of moderators.

So we share that responsibility with you. With the Boot system, students can "Boot" others for inappropriate behaviour — think a "3-strike policy" crossed with League of Legends' banning system. Boots escalate into longer account locks, tied to your @uwo.ca identity, building toward a permanent ban — so accountability is immediate and personal. Crucially, Boots de-escalate over time if no new ones arrive, and that's deliberate:

The penalties after a first Boot are intentionally heavy (3-day, 10-day locks) — a clear statement that harmful behaviour isn't tolerated here.
But offenders are students too — 19-to-24, still learning where the line is between funny and not. We'd rather give real, direct feedback and room to grow than permanently brand someone. A safe place to get corrected, without being stamped a "psycho" in real life.

🌱Two things we're dreaming about (lighter — react if you have thoughts)

Meet Ups

Once enough students are on Bump, the network can do more than notice near-misses — it can spin up whatever you need: rideshares, pick-up sports, gym/study/lunch buddies, a grocery run, or just a quick chat with a stranger.

Community Board

A shared space to ask questions, get advice, and pass around something funny, uplifting, or genuinely useful — the kind of information exchange that makes a whole campus a little smarter and warmer together.

💬So — this is what we're really asking you

Hold the app up against everything above and tell us the truth:

On the two core systems (the ones we care most about)

Does Bump actually manifest this intent — or does the experience pull the other way?
Where's the disconnect between the "why" and the "how"? Any inconsistencies?
What would you change to make the app truer to its purpose?

On sustainability

Your honest gut on the freemium model and the $5/month price — fair, off, or a hard no?

And anything else

What did you feel using it? What delighted you, what frustrated you, what would you fix first?

There are no wrong answers here, and "I disagree with your whole premise" is welcome — that's exactly the kind of outside perspective we can't get from the inside. Thank you for helping us build this the right way.