Sirius Swain's Freshman Year

Welcome to another "year" at Pinenut Plaza dorms, located on Sim State Uni's campus.

        We are here because of newcomer Sirius Swain. He has only just arrived...

...and is already shocked by a streaker :-)

After having overcome his initial shock, he claims a room on the dorm's ground floor.

He then sets about getting acquainted with his fellow dorm mates.
Here is Ramon Ramirez, currently in his Sophomore year and right now busy writing his term paper.

Pablo Prezioso is a Junior and on academic probation (I have no idea how and when that happened!).

Prezioso, Pablo's twin brother (far left), is already a Senior. Nigel Newson is a Sophomore and also on academic probation. Half-sisters Martina Martin (left) and Hailey Hart (right) are both Seniors.

Sirius is a bit shy, still feeling very much the "new guy" and does not dare to sit next to anyone in the cafeteria.

That's dorm life, too - Nigel has the choice of two showers and a bath tub upstairs, but prefers getting a sponge bath in the cafeteria!

Sirius finishes his term paper early on. He likes being on top of things.
(I still follow my own rule: as soon as a student has acquired the necessary skills and written his or her term paper, I do not control them for the rest of the semester.)

Sirius slowly begins to open up, and makes his first friend at uni in Nigel over a game of kicky bag.

Student life is more exhausting than he thought, and he has a nap in the upstairs common room during the afternoon.

One morning in the cafeteria, Martina is sure that love is in the air for Hailey and Pablo.

And she is right! Hailey and Pablo fall in love on their own accord. Hailey still has the lifetime want of having 20 loves, so she won't stay with Pablo forever, I'm afraid.

Sirius keeps cautiously trying to befriend his dorm mates, but does not want to appear too intrusive to what to him seems a tight-knit group of friends.

One night, Pablo comes home from class during a thunderstorm and is struck by lightning just before he reaches the safety of the building. Thankfully, he is clever enough to take care of one need after the other, and by the next morning, you wouldn't guess that he was in such danger.

Sirius discovers the synthesizer in Pablo's room.

He learns the Hula from Martina - every student's favourite dance! By the way, he now has chosen his Major: Arts.
(I still let my Sims decide on their own which Major they choose. Some of them never roll the want for any specific major, and so they are assigned Philosophy by the game.)

This semester, Pablo is eager to be at his exam in time - he does not want to risk being expelled, after he already was put on probation.

Ramon takes it upon himself to give the boys' bathroom a badly needed mop-up.

It looks as if the students are queuing to use the phone here, doesn't it? :-)

Sirius finishes his first semster successfully.

"I've not done too badly this first half year at uni," he muses over dinner that night.

Martina and Prezioso autonomously fell in love some time ago. It is not often, though, that they interact romantically.

Pablo wants to know what Hailey, the girl he is in love with, and Nigel are talking about. Seems pretty harmless to me.

Less harmless is a fight between Cow Mascot and Cheerleader the next day.

Cheerleader 1, Cow 0!

We have three new graduates: Hailey, Martina and Prezioso have finished their university years!

Martina will be the first to throw her graduation party.

As her friends and family arrive, I notice that someone has kicked over the trash can.

Paola Picaso, here for the party, is the only Sim sensible enough to use bug repellant.

Martina is happy to be surrounded by the people that matter most to her on her big day. In the back is her Dad, Jacob Martin.

She leaves Campus for good and will soon start working on her LTW of becoming Celebrity Chef.

Hailey Hart's graduation party is up next. Pablo is worried - he knew Hailey was not going to stay true to him forever, but did Prezioso really have to hit on her as soon as his own girlfriend has gotten into the taxi to New Maximiliania?

Hailey's "mother" (not biologically, but socially), Jane Hart (nee Stacks), is pleased to see Ramon Ramirez clearing up the dead bugs. "What a sensible young man," she thinks.

After the party, Hailey heads for the taxi. She will be sorely missed by her male dorm mates ;-)

Sirius returns from his end-of-semester exam. He is now not a Freshman anymore!

The next day, Prezioso has an emotional moment when he realizes this is truly the end of this uni years, which he enjoyed very much. His twin brother will have to stay for another semester, as he was on probation last year.

Prezioso and Pablo's mother Jessica Greenman (nee Picaso) arrives, along with their big sis, Paola Picaso, and Glenda Greenman, related to them through their mother's second husband, Gary Greenman.

The party is a big hit, and Prezioso now feels ready to tackle the next chapter in his life: a career in the Entertainment business with the goal of becoming Prestidigitator.

Who is going to move into the four empty rooms? There are now only three male students left here.