Tank Grunt: Freshman Year

Tank Grunt has just been dropped off by the taxi in front of Canyon Common Dorms, where he is probably going to spend the next four years, studying at La Fiesta Tech. How will be fare?

For one thing, he won't be alone! Six other playable students, all of them Sophomores, already live here: Almeric and Aldric Davis, Klara Vonderstein, Blossom Moonbeam, Stella Terrano and William Williamson.

This is the dorm, by the way. Finally, some of the students' accumulated grant money was invested in better beds. Also, there are now desks with computers in a few more rooms.

As soon as one of the townie students has left, Tank claims his room. 

It reminds him of home, before the house received a makeover in parts.

His first meal at the dorm's cafeteria is spent in the company of one of the townie students. She seems rather bold, talking to the newcomer about how she has never kissed a guy with so much paint on his face. 

Tank is not really interested, but he can't help looking straight at her door while working on his first creativity skill point ever.

Meanwhile, as soon as one of the other playables has acquired all their required skills and is still in a fit enough state, I send them to get started on their term papers. This term, Blossom is first to finish. From now on, she can largely do as she pleases.

Klara comes a close second...

...followed by William, who is one of those who now have a desk and computer installed in their room. The big wardrobe made way for a small chest of drawers in order to accomodate the desk. 

Tank never thought he'd finish his paper so early in the term, and feels rather proud of himself. "I wish my Dad could see me now," he thinks.

He then feeös it may really be time to get rid of the "camouflage" face paint he's been wearing all through his teenage years, and he must admit that he likes himself much better now.

Who would have expected Tank to be such an energetic, if somewhat fierce, dancer! 

Stella is next to finish her term paper.

The townie student keeps following Tank round. He is too polite to leave when she sits at his table uninvited, even though he has finished his meal already.

The next day, we have a couple: Klara and Almeric fall in love autonomously! (He is not "desperate for love" here, just returned from class with a very low fun level.) 

Aldric, too, has completed his term paper.

And after he has given his fun a boost by playing Red Hands with Klara, Almeric finally hands in his paper as well. Phew! 

The next day, Tank decides on his Major to be Drama. Because of this, he now needs two more skill points, but as it is autumn, he acquires them quickly. 

So far, all his efforts to make friends with his dorm mates have been fruitless. While often several of the playables happen to eat at the same time, Tank ends up sharing a table either with the spiky-haired girl or with a mascot. 

He tries his luck with Blossom, but she wants to eat on her own, by the looks of it.

Finally, he is able to join one of the others at the chess table. 

William even sticks around long enough for a conversation afterwards, but although relationship points are as high as 76, they are not friends yet. 

The Davis brothers have breakfast together one morning not long before their end of term exams. "I did not know what I wanted to major in at first, but now I am glad I chose Physics", Aldric explains. 

Then he plays catch with Tank, who is really trying hard to make friends.

Another couple of students fall in love autonomously that same evening when Aldric and Stella return from class together.

Spikey (that's Tank's nickname for her; her real name is Kay Kosmokos) has followed Tank to his room, but he does not even look at her and pretends to be awfully busy at his (switched off) computer. I feel a little sorry for the girl! 

In Stella's room, a typical Mascot fight breaks out. Who is going to win? 

The Llama!

Tank has tried to chat up Blossom... and failed. Poor Tank! But then maybe his choice of time and place was not ideal, what with the cook standing in the middle and Blossom just about to help stacking the dishwasher.

A little later, she can be seen dancing with William. 

In spite of all these happenings, the seven students return from their exams successfully - the first half of Tank's first year here is over, and the second begins right now. 

As always, the start of term passes in a whirlwind of gaining skills, becoming familiar with a new schedule and cramming in meals and phone calls to family and friends whenever possible. 

It is winter now, and I don't think I would still be eating outside when there is plenty of room at the long tables in the cafeteria. And again, Tank is handling his attempts at making friends not very well: Almost as soon as Almeric joins him, Tank has finished his meal - but in spite of remaining at the table to keep his dorm mate company, he heads inside.

Some of the students form study groups, such as Blossom and Stella here. 

Studying together must be really helpful, as Stella is (again) first to hand in her term paper.

Klara and William both need a body skill point, and choose to work out together. 

Tank is really taking this whole college thing seriously and concentrates hard on his term paper.

Once he's finished, he spots a cheerleader in the hall. Oh Tank, pointing and laughing when a cheerleader does a routine is NOT the way to go about it!

But the girl gives as good as she gets, and Tank has forfeited another chance at making a friend (or finding a romantic interest).

Speaking of which, Spikey is still around, and just like during his first term, Tank does not even acknowledge her. 

William has befriended Aaron Hart, an NPC student who because of his "playable" surname is eligible to become a Strangetown resident eventually. He invites him over one evening, and although their relationship is more than good enough for the proposal to move in, no matter how many times I try, the action disappears from William's queue as soon as it should be its turn. Strange, that! Aaron will have to wait until William moves to Strangetown himself, I'm afraid.

Danielle Smith has not really featured yet this "year", but maybe you remember her from the playable students' Freshman Year: Somehow, she does not get along with anyone, but still lives at the dorm. Now, William gets into a fight with her, with Aaron Hart and Almeric Davis looking on. 

Danielle loses the fight, and for several hours afterwards, she and William keep poking and slapping each other. I do wish these two had better things to do! 

It is near the end of his second term here when Tank finally makes his first friend in Almeric Davis.

Now that everyone has completed their term papers, and there is still an entire day to go before their final exams, I send the entire group to The Cacti Café.

Tank meets and greets several female students, such as Tiffany Riley here, but so far none of them has captured his interest.

He HATES disorder and dirt (it comes with growing up in a military household, I suppose), and really suffers when he detects an infestation of bugs outside the café. Well, as long as they are not inside... Anyway, they all head home soon afterwards, hoping to catch some sleep before tomorrow's exams. 

Nearly everybody sits their final exam on VERY little sleep, and the Davis twins are in such a bad mood that I had to drag them out of their beds and made them go - especially Aldric is in full Aspiration Failure mode, and I'm afraid the Junior Term will be off to a bad start for him. (I don't think I have ever had that happen in my game before - students not going to class or to their exams because their mood is so low.)

Nonetheless, all seven have achieved best grades and spots on the Dean's List, and their collective grant money is at over 17,000 Simoleons - maybe I will make a few more improvements to the dorm next time I play here. 

For now, Tank's Freshman Year is finished. As well as he did academically, as little did he achieve socially. One friend, a handful of almost-friends, and not a single romantic interest in sight - he'll have to do better as a Sophomore.