For the past week, continuous laughter has resonated from the first floor of Runkle Hall.

It's easy to pinpoint where the joyous noise is coming from -- a door at the end of the hall where 10 creatively crafted nametags hang: the names of the 10 Penn State students who lost everything in a house fire last week.

"You can sit around, feel sorry for yourself and mope about what used to be," Mike Weinstein (junior-information science and technology) said. "Or stand up, get on your feet and start to move on. Celebrate the great times in the house and don't wallow around."

These 10 students -- Weinstein, Ed Crane, Matt Hickey, Eric Keck, Bill McElroy, Seth Mattleman, Brian McHale, Matt O'Brien, Kevin Oliver and Joe Rowan -- lived at 700 W. College Ave. before an early morning fire destroyed their house and everything they owned on April 2. They now call a supplemental dorm room in North Halls their home.

By the time firefighters arrived at the scene at about 4 a.m. April 2, flames had already engulfed the house, and they couldn't enter.

Two people walking by saw smoke on the porch and were able to get everyone out of the house safely.

Reminiscing about the great memories of the house provided the guys with some solace.

Just days after the fire, Keck, Weinstein and Hickey could be found in an unlikely place -- a tattoo parlor.

"We got tattoos to commemorate the house and all of the amazing times that were had by the housemates and all of our guests," Hickey (junior-kinesiology) said, showing off a small, permanent "700" in flames etched on his ankle. "Whenever anyone sees the tattoos, they will think of all the things good about the house, not that it burned down."

The gigantic dorm room, which is complete with five bunk beds, 10 dressers and four desks, has been nicknamed "the barracks" by the guys.

Since an extreme sense of humor is their style, the roommates decided to play up the "barracks" theme and dress in blue camouflage for a dinner their friends made them a few days after the fire.

"The girls loved our outfits, and it shows our good spirits and our love for our new surroundings in a tough time," Keck (junior-recreation, park and tourism management) said.

Only 10 days have passed since these students lost their computers, clothes, photos and other possessions. It would be easy to believe the room where they now live would be sparse and bare. But instead, the boys have university-issued laptops to use, and the Penn State Bookstore lent them books, calculators and notebooks.

They will never have to buy another article of Penn State clothing ever again after the Penn State football and basketball teams personally dropped off more Penn State gear than the guys could handle.

O'Brien (junior-accounting) said his roommates decided to have an "NFL-style" draft with all the clothing they received.

"We were all eyeing up what we wanted and made calls on the things that proved to be really exciting," he said. "It will be great for tailgates next year."

O'Brien said the leftover clothes that didn't fit any of them were donated to the Red Cross to thank the organization for all its help immediately after the incident.

Mattleman (junior-hotel, restaurant and institutional management) said the Red Cross gave the students free hotel rooms and Target gift cards to help them buy essentials.

"We have to plan what we are wearing since we all shopped at Target at different times and realized we all have the same interest in clothes," McElroy (junior-management information systems) said. "It's quite comical and sets us up with sweet uniforms once intramural season starts."

Other donations started pouring in: Several friends have made them home-cooked meals and gave them places to watch TV and feel like home. Qdoba, 206 W. College Ave., offered free food for the whole semester. Nittany Notes helped them catch up with classes. Café 210 West, 210 W. College Ave., held a benefit. Several fraternities donated money, and donations were taken at a recent Whiplash dance recital.

Friends of the guys took it upon themselves to host a party they named "Poop-a-palooza," which took money at the door for the guys.

"All of the phone calls have been overwhelming. Every single person that has called us has offered anything from a T-shirt to a permanent place to stay," Rowan (junior-advertising-public relations) said. "Not only have all of our old friends come to our aid, but also all of the new friends that we have met. We have received help from everyone in the State College area."

Although the guys said they are coping well, the bond they created and the memories of the house will never fade.

Wiffle ball in the backyard, Whiskey Fridays, intramural football and basketball, weekly viewings of the television show 24, holiday parties and late-night socializing over grilled cheese are just a few things Oliver (junior-biobehavioral health) said he'd miss about 700 W. College Ave.

Weinstein said he particularly misses arguing over the trash schedule and chore lists that Rowan had created.

"We just made fun of his signs," Weinstein said.

Keck said all of the guys have been sticking together because they are all going through the same things and helping each other out.

"We have found that it is important to take some time out occasionally and have some fun," he said.

The fire has brought on a whole new set of jokes, Weinstein said, while wearing a shirt printed with, "Homeless, can I sleep with you?" on the back of it.

"Humor seems to be our No. 1 outlet," he said. "If you would have seen us while the house was burning, you would think we were crazy because we were cracking jokes and having fun."