Penn State students' weekend quests no longer are restricted to where that night's big bash is or whether to scarf pizza and wings for a late-night snack.

Often overlooked in the mass of confusion downtown is the vital search for practical, legal bathroom options.

Students wandering home from bars, fraternity parties and other late-night activities most often turn to restaurants' public facilities as a means of relieving their biological problems. Among the businesses that see an incredible influx of students during the weekend is McDonald's, 422 E. College Ave.

"We don't see lines of people coming in off the street solely to use our bathroom," said Tom Stark, director of operations.

"Most students who use our bathroom stay and order food."

Contrary to common belief, students do not cause an inordinate amount of damage while using McDonald's facilities, Stark said.

"Some urinals have been ripped from the wall each semester and a few holes have been kicked in as well," he said. "But, for the sheer volume that we encounter, we're fortunate."

Todd Steele, a long-time employee at Playland, 350 E. College Ave., has seen his share of bathroom misdeeds throughout the years.

"When the bars close up, we get a few problems because we only have two bathrooms," Steele said. "I've seen guys using the ladies room, or if both of them are occupied, someone (goes to the bathroom) in the mop bucket."

For every student that utilizes public bathrooms, there is the student who turns to more drastic means -- public urination.

"Public urination is a problem for us every semester," said State College Police Sgt. John Wilson.

"We arrest anywhere from 20 to 30 people on football weekends, and that's a small number compared to what we could feasibly catch."

The police department has gone so far as to deploy undercover officers in various problem zones in an effort to curtail the rash of offenses. One of the more closely watched areas is Calder Way and the surrounding alleys, which netted 20 offenders during a stakeout of a lone trash container.

"Calder Way has an unprintable nickname amongst us in the department," said Wilson. "The urine literally runs down the alley like a river."

Those students that choose to relieve themselves in public do not faze Elizabeth Sayer (junior-biochemistry).

"Whatever they need to do is fine with me. Just as long as I don't see anything," Sayer said.

Wilson offered some advice to would-be public offenders.

"Students should go to the bathroom before leaving the bar and just be considerate of the community," he said. "We're going to continue to enforce the law for the sake of the public's health and sanitation."