Blossom Moonbeam: Junior Year

Another year at Strangetown's La Fiesta Tech lies ahead, and we are going to spend it here at Canyon Commons Dorms.

To the playable students already living here, a new resident has just arrived: Buck Grunt, the youngest brother of Tank Grunt who has just begun his Sophomore year. Their middle brother, Ripp, has not gone to college. The other playables are Klara Vonderstein, William Williamson, Stella Terrano, the Davis brothers Aldric and Almeric, and Blossom Moonbeam. 

And it is Blossom who we are here for. Like the rest of the gang (except for Tank and Buck), she is now a Junior. A typical Family Sim, she dreams of seeing three of her own children graduate from college - but that distant future has not yet begun, since she is not even remotely romantically involved with anyone, in spite of there being several eligible fellow students around.

More often than not, Blossom prefers one of the small tables outdoors for her meals instead of the busy, noisy canteen. Apparently, Aldric is not all that welcome to keep her company, but he seems to be oblivious to that fact.

Indoors, the Grunt brothers share a table with Klara and Almeric for Buck's first meal at the dorm. "So there's actually three of you Grunt boys?" Klara asks again. Yes, there are three of them, but only two are here, obviously.

Buck is full of enthusiasm for this new chapter in his life and finishes his Term Paper even before he has decided on a Major; eventually, he chooses Mathematics. 

Remember Kay Kosmokos alias Spikey, who was so very interested in Tank while he wouldn't even acknowledge her most of the time? Now she tries her luck with his younger brother, but it looks like Buck is more interested in finding the football results online than her. 

One by one, the students acquire their skills and write their term papers.

Once the skilling is done and the paper written, they can do pretty much as they please. For Aldric, this means keeping his brother company, watching TV while Almeric is studying mechanical.

Blossom is neither the first nor the last one to finish her paper for this term, but more or less in the middle.

And Buck? Well, well, well - what shall I say: He and "Spikey" Kay have just discovered that they are three-bolters!! "You're it!" Kay exclaims, pointing at Buck. "Yeah, and you're it, too!" he replies, smiling. 

It is hard to see what's going on here, but funnily enough, the newfound lovebirds have chosen the tiny patch of sand in the corner behind the dorm's porch to autonomously cuddle under the stars. Stella watches them for a bit but then gets bored and goes to do something else. 

When Bottom returns from class, her first stop is often the kitchen - but not for food! She just loves to juggle bottles from the fridge. 

She has just made Monica Bratford her best friend, fulfilling a big wish.

One evening in the cafeteria, Buck serenades Kay with his brother looking on rather embarrassed. "What would our Dad say if he saw Spikey and Buck together," he wonders. Well, the General is not here, and besides, he has changed a lot since Camryn Lee came into his life. And not even he could stop a three-bolt love! 

Everyone makes it to the end of the semester, and they all do very well at their exams. 

This semester, Blossom only needs a logic skill point, which is quickly gained at the chess board.

Buck is once more first to complete his Term Paper. He is really doing his Dad proud, isn't he! (Am I the only one to be reminded of Star Trek Deep Space Nine's Odo, looking at Buck's hairstyle and face here?)

It is summer, and a very thundery one at that. The cactus in the mini courtyard is hit by lightning, but only the visiting cheerleader and llama mascot seem to notice the fire. 

Everyone else is simply too busy skilling and writing term papers. 

Blossom has just finished hers. 

Nothing like a dance session to loosen up those tight muscles after sitting at the computer for hours!

She also takes care of the bills.

Oh! Isn't William involved with someone else? (I am not sure, since I am not focusing on him this year.) Anyway, he is doing his best to chat Blossom up, and she doesn't tell him to naff off, but no hearts are seen flying. 

"Why does this keep happening?!" the students wonder, when the cactus is hit by lightning again only a few days later. Couldn't someone install a lightning rod on the dorm's roof?

Klara and Almeric are so sweet! Whenever they set eyes on each other, a series of romantic interactions starts, in spite of them not having a single chemistry bolt between them. 

Blossom wishes to fall in love but so far has not found anyone who could capture her heart. She sticks to juggling bottles instead - her main activity when she is in need of fun and left to her own devices, and apparently tolerated by the cafeteria staff. 

Uh-oh! I thought I'd kept track of everyone's progress this semester, but I nearly forgot Almeric - 13 hours before the final exam, he is still lacking one body skill point and has not yet written his term paper...!! But he makes it in time. Phew! 

In spite of their varying states of (un)dress, everyone has done well once more with their exams. Now Blossom and most of the others start their Senior Year, while Tank is now a Junior and his little brother Buck not a Freshman anymore. 

This was fun but rather exhausting - visits to community lots are really difficult when nearly everyone is on a different schedule. But at least there were no fights here! Instead, the students all want to be friends with each other. 

I never expected Buck to find his 3-bolt-lady in an NPC student - who at first was interested in his big brother. 

Blossom still has plenty of time to find that special someone who will help her with her lifetime want; she can't have children at college anyway.

Mercutio Monty: Freshman Year

As promised, after our time at the Monty Ranch, we are now going to accompany Mercutio Monty through his Freshman Year. He has of course chosen to study at Académie Le Tour, and here is Boggs Hall Dorms, where he has been assigned a room. 

I didn't realise how far out of Veronaville the academy actually is - Mercutio arrives late at night. 

But there are still some visitors around: Jonah Powers is working on an assignment in the very room Mercutio has claimed... 

...while Mitch Indie quietly contemplates life in one of the downstairs common rooms... 

...and Carl Cho is having a late meal all on his own in the canteen.

Alan Riley is clumsily practising some dance moves upstairs, while nobody is watching.

Last but not least, Tybalt Capp is here the only other playable resident student at this dorm, working hard on his Term Paper. He is now in his Senior Year, and will leave uni before Mercutio's first year ends. Will the two get along? 

Because it is too late to phone back home or do anything really, Mercutio decides to get started on his creativity - as a future Rock God, he can certainly do with that skill!

Later, he eats the one bowl of mac & cheese left for late arrivals like himself in the otherwise empty canteen. (Only Carl's empty bowl is still on the table.)

He catches Tybalt just as the older student has finished his paper and is about to go to bed. "We may never become best friends for life, but I guess it won't hurt to put the old stories from our grandparents behind and behave civily, don't you think?" 

(This is what really happened: When Mercutio first arrived, he wanted to "poke" Tybalt. After I had him painting for a while, he suddenly wished to "chat" with him instead - and as soon as their conversation started, the "enemy" sign disappered.)

Mercutio's first class only starts the next afternoon, and so he has all morning to work on his first ever painting. Tybalt is also in the room, playing darts on his own - they are not exactly talking, but an amicable silence is certainly something. 

Mercutio was not a super student at school, but he brought along his own computer and completes his Term Paper the evening after his first class. "That wasn't so bad - or so hard," he tells himself.

Meanwhile, Tybalt has been followed around the dorm by Mark Royce, who also has a room here and - if I remember correctly - is a member of the Secret Society. He initiates to "hang out" with Tybalt... 

...and joins him for breakfast the next morning. Too bad this is Tybalt's last year here! (By the way, I am still convinced that Consort Capp would have had something to say about his grandson walking around in a semi-public environment like the dorm's canteen like this, barefoot and in his PJs!)

Mercutio makes frequent calls to friends and family back in Veronaville to give them the full report on how well he has been settling into college life. 

It starts to snow towards the end of term, and feeling well prepared for their exams, Mercutio and Tybalt share a taxi to Loungarama Leisureland for some well deserved fun and a change of scene.

Many students are here, and the boys are spoilt for choice of activities and conversation. 

In between, Tybalt has to nip off to his exam - Mercutio's will start later. He returns a few hours afterwards with his usual serious face, but really he has done very well and is now about to start his very last semester ever.

Mercutio thinks he should not let the chance pass and picks up the bass in the music room of The Lounge. He wants to become a Rock God, after all! Tybalt joins him at the drum kit, and the two of them start performing. To be honest, they are not very good... 

...but once another student joins them at the guitar, they gain something of an audience and even collect some modest tips. 

Back at the dorm, Mercutio is off to his end of term exam, and returns with an A+ and the full grant. Well done! 

Now that he has experienced college life for a whole semester, Mercutio feels he knows what he wants and settles for Political Science as his Major. Not what I would have chosen with a lifetime want to be Rock God, but that's our Sims for you - their wishes do not always follow logic, do they! 

As before, Mercutio is one of the first students this semester to hand in their Term Papers. He really didn't think college was so easy...! (We'll see how he copes when there will be a lot of skilling to do in the next three years.) 

Blond hair is one of the things he finds attractive in a lady, and one of his professors happens to have long, blond hair - and she rings to hear how he's been getting on with his assignment. Is there something going on? No; at least not yet, and I don't know if there will be anything more than friendship.

A rare smile on Tybalt's sour serious face shows how glad he is about never having to write another Term Paper in his life ever again! 

By now, the two former enemies are not friends yet, but can hold a conversation without any awkwardness. 

Speaking of blond ladies, Roxie Sharpe happens to walk by the dorm and is greeted by Mercutio. They get along well, but Rox is of course living with her boyfriend, Jonah Powers, and that's fine. 

"I can't believe I've made it - it's over!! I have sat my final exam, and soon will be leaving campus for good..." Tybalt returns with an A+ and another grant - not that he needs the money, coming from a wealthy family, but it can't hurt. 

He has a brief rest and then joins Mercutio for breakfast in the canteen. It is it the first and probably last meal the two eat together. 

Mercutio spends the last couple of hours before his end of year exam in the upstairs common room, where he feels strangely detached from the wild dancing that's going on. (Have you noticed that the student with the spiky hairdo has tattoos on the inside of her upper arm? Now THAT must have hurt!) 

He should smile happily for the camera, but he doesn't - even though he has just completed his Freshman Year with an A+ and his name on the Dean's List. What's the matter with Mercutio? Feeling lonely? From Day One here on campus, he has been wishing for his brother and his cousins Hermia and Miranda to join him here.

We'll see what he gets up to when we return to this dorm at some stage.