The coolest thing about this column is not the fact that I'm an exceptional writer or the fact that my beautiful mug accompanies it (ha!).

Nay, the coolest thing about this column is the fact that it was written, edited and made available to readers hours before the newspaper you're holding ever hit the stands.

That is, if you're actually holding a newspaper.

Hold on. Let me explain.

You see, The Daily Collegian comes off the presses in the middle of the night, when most college students are either sleeping or finishing their last beer of the evening. You know which type you are.

It's delivered on campus and around town super early in the morning, also a time when most students are either sleeping or finishing their last beer of the evening.

That means there's a good five or six hours between the time the Collegian is physically printed and the time that even the earliest risers can read the paper.

Now, this is nothing new. Newspapers, including the Collegian, have been operating this way for decades. It's a 24-hour operation dependent on deadlines.

And it's a good system, one that works and works well. Newspaper employees work their butts off during all hours of the night and day to make sure readers get the latest and most important news as quickly as possible. That's the business of a daily paper.

But serious change is on the way when it comes to the business of communicating news to the public. And it's a change that your student newspaper is actively preparing for.

If you're reading this column online, then you already know what I'm talking about.

If you're reading this column in the physical newspaper and haven't yet checked out the Collegian's Web site, then I suggest you visit www.collegian.psu.edu to see what we've done with the place.

Newspapers, and many other forms of media, have made significant strides toward using the Internet as an effective tool in getting news to the public.

It's time for the Collegian to get onboard, and we're doing so in a few different ways beginning this semester.

Change #1: You can depend on us to update you with breaking news on the Web site whenever news happens. If you need to know it right away, we will let you know right away.

Change #2: We will also supplement our daily publication with content on the Web site that you won't find in the actual newspaper. As a tangible object, newspaper pages have space limits. The Internet doesn't, and we will use that fact to improve our news coverage.

Change #3: In the very near future, we will be introducing blogs as a regular addition to www.collegian.psu.edu. Wanna read about the weekend's bar atmosphere? Read our nightlife blog. Dying for my opinion on the latest media scandal? I'll fill you in on the editor's blog.

Though the Web site upgrades are a major part of how we're improving our newspaper, it's not all we're doing. You might have noticed a sticker-like image on the front page today. More on that later in the week.

But there's only so much I can rave about in this small space on the Opinions Page. If you want to know more, then you should come to the James Building later this week to take a shot at joining The Daily Collegian.

Bring a blue book and a pencil with you on Tuesday, Sept. 12 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. and 6 to 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday, Sept. 13 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. and 6 to 7:30 p.m.; and Thursday, Sept. 14 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. We'll give you a brief writing test followed by an interview.

There's some really cool stuff going on here. You don't want to miss it.