There may be a lack of dorm rooms on south campus, but that doesn`t mean there`s a lack of space. Just ask Hodges McClain, Leigh Hosang, and Eric Williams; the three freshmen inhabitants of the eighth- floor study lounge in Smith Hall. The trio occupy one of several such temporary housing units on south campus.”It`s just enough room for three people, maybe four,” McClain said. “It`s comfortable. I`d rather stay here than move out into a smaller room.”McClain`s roommates agreed. The three met when they arrived at the Ohio State University. Each prefers to stay in the study lounge rather than separate into new rooms.And while they like having each other as roommates, their stay in the study lounge probably won`t last much longer.In a typical year, students are placed in temporary housing for about two weeks, said Toni Greenslade, director of the office of housing assignments. She said it is too early to tell if this year is a typical year.Usually, about 200-250 students who sign contracts do not show up for autumn quarter, Greenslade said. Once the no-shows are identified, the students who were placed in temporary housing are then moved into the vacant rooms.The resident advisors this year were instructed to call the residents on their floors before school started to introduce themselves and try to get a pre-count on the number of absentees before school started, Greenslade said.”It enabled us to move people out of temporary (housing) into permanent (housing) before they got here,” Greenslade said. “It also enabled us to take extra contracts.”As for the three study lounge occupants, they inevitably will be separated within the next few weeks.”I don`t want to move in with new people I don`t know,” McClain said. “We`d rather stay together.”All three students were satisfied with the amount of space in their temporary unit.”I like mine better out of all of them because its bigger,” Hosang said.Williams said the sole constraint is that it is, in fact, a study lounge.”The only thing I don`t like is there are no closets,” he said.Greenslade said another advantage to the temporary housing is that students have the opportunity to meet more people.”You meet people in the temporary room and on that floor, and on the new floor,” she said.Amy Monaghan, a freshman from Wooster and an occupant of temporary housing in Steeb Hall, disagrees.”Not being down in the hallway, you can`t associate with people all that well because you`re not with them as much,” Monaghan said.Temporary housing occupants will be reassigned as soon as rooms are available, Greenslade said. She said preference will be given to students based on when their contracts were received. She also said that the requests made on their contracts will be accommodated as best as possible. At the very least, McClain said, he hopes to stay on south campus.”I like south campus because everything is so close,” he said.Greenslade said the university will also provide vans to help students who are relocating to a different residence hall.”It doesn`t seem real homey yet,” Monaghan said. “I`d like to move as soon as possible to get things situated.”