that would be cool to have a search for members in your area..
One way to get familiar with people who live by you though, is checking out the regional forums for your area. Be surprised at how many members live in your area.
I think it'd be cool if you put your zip/postal code in your profile, and then it wouldn't be open for public, BUT, you could search for people in your area by typing in your postal code to a little search and it finds people within like 300 km's or something like that. I'd use it personally.
Are you buying an all east college pass? It'd help me out if you bought it at attitash.com/parker. It's the same price as the normal site and will accomplish the exact same thing, but you'd be helping out a fellow newschooler. thanks