After four years of so-so experiences living on and off campus, fifth-year senior April Leese was ready for the proverbial "room of one's own."

"I had good roommates, but I was ready to have a room to myself to decorate," Leese (senior-forestry and environmental resource management) said.

Living in a single room in Simmons Hall was the right decision, she said. There's no one around to compete with her décor of curled ribbons hanging from the ceiling, scattered strings of tiny lights and an ample collection of plants.

"And if I need to be messy once in a while, it's okay because I'm not hurting anyone," she said.

For some students, like Leese, a standard double room just won't do.

Luckily for them, there are other on-campus options, said Kathy Krinks, assignment office manager.

Some students, like Leese, will prefer singles. Others may want to live in a suite, triple, quad or on-campus apartment.

To qualify for these options, students must be already living on campus.

"You almost have to do your time in a regular, traditional residence room first," Krinks said.

The deadline has passed to request on-campus housing, but those who were notified last week that they received a permanent or temporary space still have options other than a standard double room.

When filling out the housing contract, which are due Jan. 31, students can request to live in a special option.

Notification for which spaces the students are assigned will be mailed by mid-July.

To qualify for the lottery for Nittany Apartments, students need to have completed 60 credits. Some spaces are reserved for student athletes, but the same credit requirements apply.

If a qualified student doesn't get a space through the lottery, he or she can be put on a waiting list, Krinks said.

"I know a lot of people who got denied," said Amy Hencke (senior-finance), who made it through the lottery process.

"This is the first year I've actually had good housing," she said. "We each have our own room, which is really nice."

Maintenance requests go through a lot faster, and are handled a lot better, than when she lived in an off-campus apartment, she said.

"I definitely recommend it," she said.

The apartments come fully furnished, and the price includes all bills except long distance phone bills. There are two- and four-bedroom apartments, and each has a kitchen, living room and bathroom.

One of the biggest conveniences of an on-campus apartment, Hencke said, is having a nine-month lease.

"At the end of the semester, you don't have to worry about a subletter," she said.

On the other hand, the most inconvenient thing is the lack of an Ethernet connection. Although each bedroom has its own phone line, Hencke worries that her friends are getting a busy signal when she's using her computer.

"I'm always online, and I'm like, 'I wonder who's trying to call me?' " she said.

An Ethernet connection is also important to Ian Fairbairn (junior-science), who lives in a suite in McElwain Hall and is glad it came equipped with a connection.

Fairbairn recommends suites, which are halfway between apartments and traditional dorm rooms, for people who don't want a dorm but still want the comforts of on-campus living, including an Ethernet connection.

He and his roommate each have their own room and walk-in closet, and they share a full-size bathroom.

He received the suite because he is the president of the South Halls Residence Association, and certain officers in the Association for Residence Hall Students are automatically eligible for suites.

"It's kind of one of the perks," he said. "We do a lot of work, and we don't get paid for it."

A few suites, including Fairbairn's, are scattered over campus, but the majority are in Nittany Suites, which have two bedrooms for four people and one shared bathroom.

Single rooms, triples and quads are dispersed throughout campus, Krinks said, although there are fewer in East Halls.

She said demand exceeds supply for these special options, so not everyone who requests one can expect to receive it. There are about 600 single rooms, 640 spaces in Nittany Apartments, 126 spaces in Nittany Suites and only a handful of triples and quads, she said.