On Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, the White Loop takes on a new identity.

"The White Loop is the 'Drunk Bus!'" Brad Stamm (freshman-meteorology) said Thursday night while riding the bus from East Halls to an apartment party downtown. "It goes by the freshmen dorms, the apartments and fraternities."

Although the bus's route doesn't change from day to night -- it loops from East Halls to Beaver Avenue -- it operates for two extra hours Thursday through Saturday nights, running until 2:30 a.m.

Eric Bernier, service development manager for Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA), said the late night bus service was traditionally provided on Friday

and Saturday nights, but was extended to Thursdays about seven years ago at the request of the Undergraduate Student Government (USG).

Stamm has only been at Penn State for a month, but has already seen his share of shockers onboard the White Loop.

"I've been flashed, I've seen people puke all over themselves, I've seen people fall asleep for a few loops around campus," Stamm said. "I've seen groups of guys singing Britney Spears and Backstreet Boys."

And Thursday night wasn't any different. By 10:30 p.m., the White Loop was filled with rowdy students -- some already full of liquor -- riding the bus to parties off campus.

"I'm going to Beta [Theta Pi fraternity] to party," Kari Jansson (freshman-business) said. "I'm too lazy to walk. It's cold and I'm wearing heels."

After stopping at East Halls at around 10:45 p.m. to pick up more partygoers, the student passengers erupted into chants and songs, including Bruce Channel's "Hey Baby" and Bon Jovi's "Livin' On a Prayer."

However, the bus driver, who was a substitute for the night, seemed unfazed by all the commotion.

"Different drivers deal with it differently," Bernier said. "But if it becomes too unreasonable, the bus will stop running late at night. Ultimately, it's a service for students, and if they abuse it they're gonna lose it."

Jerad Friedline (freshman-information sciences and technology) said the bus was less rowdy Thursday because many students went home for fall break.

"It's usually worse, and there's usually a lot more people," Friedline said.

Friedline and his friend Jeb Williams (freshman-information sciences and technology) were decked out in big sunglasses, bandanna headbands and short shorts for an '80s party at a house on South Pugh Street.

As rain began to fall minutes later, Kyle Morrison (junior-business marketing) hopped on the bus at Burrowes Street.

"I'm going to my friend's apartment for a party," Morrison said. "I usually walk, but it's a little rainy. When I saw the bus I thought, I'll catch the loop."

By 1 a.m., the White Loop began to fill up at the stop on Beaver Avenue. At this point, many students were ready to head back to their apartments and dorms.

Yet when the loop reached East Halls, more students were waiting at the loop stop to take the bus downtown.

Needless to say, on the way to Beaver Avenue mayhem ensued.

One young woman took out a can of whipped cream and began squirting it into her mouth. Moments later, she proceeded to squirt whipped cream all over her friend's face.

"I don't know why she just put whipped cream on me!" Bryn Sfetsios (sophomore-sociology and political science) said.