Students who are staying in Ames and need somewhere to live this summer have a variety of options available.

Off-campus housing, residence halls and fraternities all offer places to stay for students wishing to take class or work in Ames or for students who just don’t feel like going home yet.

“We looked in the paper to find our apartment,” said Brandi Speckner, junior in finance. Speckner said she did not do a lot of research about apartments because her fianc‚ had already lived off campus.

Other students use friends as resources to find out about living off campus, many times subleasing their apartments.

“My friend lives [in our future apartment] right now, so we’re getting the place through her,” said Erin Schnieders, senior in horticulture and environmental studies.

But it’s not always easy for off-campus residents to find people to take over their leases.

Brian Gilmore, junior in mechanical engineering, said he is still looking for someone to move into his two-bedroom house.

“I’m not living here this summer because I have a job elsewhere,” Gilmore said. He plans on turning the lease over to his rental company because he is living somewhere else in the fall.

For students who prefer the comfort of dorm life, the residence hall system usually houses about 300 students in a typical summer, said Knapp Hall Director Ben Chamberlain.

This summer, students staying in Friley Hall, which is the only hall open to ISU students, will pay $783 for a standard-double room, with board varying upon the meal plan selected. Students are required to select a meal plan of five to 20 meals per week, and that fee is added to the room fee, Chamberlain said.

“The bathrooms are cleaned, cooking is done for you and security is still there. Plus, all the rooms are air conditioned,” Chamberlain said. He also said another summer bonus is free parking close to Friley.

Chamberlain also said the summer atmosphere in the halls is much more laid-back than during the academic year. “It’s very quiet in the summer,” he said.

A third option for students is living in the greek system, as most fraternities rent rooms out during the summer.

“It’s a great Rush tool. It helps to have guys [from the house] around to help out,” said John Hicks, treasurer of Phi Kappa Theta, 2110 Lincoln Way.

Erin Madson, sophomore in advertising, said she lived in Lambda Chi Alpha, 203 Ash Ave., last summer and is living there again this summer.

“It’s the cheapest way to go,” Madson said. “It’s a really fun environment, you don’t have to deal with a landlord and everyone’s your age.”

The cost of living in a fraternity usually varies from $275 to $500 per person for the entire summer, said Brent Uitermarkt, member of FarmHouse fraternity, 311 Ash Ave.