Zoe Zimmerman - Junior Year

Zoe's Sophomore year is here.

The last name on my alphabetical list and the last household to play for this round - YAY!! That name is of course Zoe Zimmerman, and she still lives here at No. 116 Aridestra Drive, in a rented property on the campus of Strangetown's La Fiesta Tech.

You know the house as being home to The Shifting Paradymes. According to Maxis, the three band members "have bonded over their love of music and moved into their own place to focus on their art. Will living outside the dorms inspire them enough to create the masterpiece they desire?" 

Well, we can safely say that a masterpiece is not in sight. In fact, one of the Shifting Paradymes truly has shifted; Gunnar has graduated and lives now in Strangetown, where he pursues his lifetime want of having woohoo with 20 different Sims. 

Jasmine Rai (back) and Zoe Zimmerman (front) have only just started their Junior Year. Both girls study history and need to acquire one or two skills for this semester. They aspire to become sorority members, but so far they have not succeeded.

"Zoe joined the band to get out of the dorms and make some new friends, but her real focus is on her studies. As much as she likes music, Zoe wants to graduate and get a job." That is what Maxis have written about her. 

The job she has in mind is in the culinary career, as she fancies herself as a future Celebrity Chef, a typical lifetime want for a Popularity Sim like her. Maybe majoring in History will be helpful when it comes to the history of cooking :-)

The girls have been doing well during their Sophomore Year and intend to spend some of the 5,221 Simoleons they have saved on new clothes - spring is here, and they have "nothing to wear". Therefore, after class they walk to The Mirage Shopping Center. 

Both make their choice of outfits in their preferred colours and then stay on for a bit of socialising with fellow students. 

Back at their house, Jasmine invites Gunnar over (his room with the double bed has been left untouched since he moved out) and helps him towards his lifetime want. If my count is correct, she is the 4th Sim he has woohoo with, aiming for 20. 

You can guess what happens the next day, can't you? Zoe reasons that, seeing how she and Gunnar have been best friends for life, there is nothing wrong with helping him with his lifetime want, too.

Jasmine doesn't see it that way, though! She comes storming in on them - I didn't think she'd notice, since I was deliberately keeping her busy in another part of the house.

Gunnar hardly saw what hit him...!

Zoe apologises multiple times. She still has a 100/100 relationship towards Jasmine, but her friend is really hurt. 

She agrees to sit with Zoe for a spot of lunch before class, though, and listens to Zoe talking about how there are now just the two of them left for the rest of their time at uni, and that she really, really wants to patch things up between them. 

Jasmine has been wanting to join the sorority for about a year and thinks that this would be one way of her not sharing a house with just Zoe anymore. She asks Tiffany Riley over, the only "sister" she is friends with, and hopes to pass the assessment by the other girls.

She even tips Danielle Smith very generously when the girl discovers the instruments on the roof top and plays the bass for bit. Still to no avail; Jasmine really needs to work a bit more on her relationship to the other girls.

After her repeatedly negative experience with the sorority girls, Jasmine realises that making and keeping friends is not quite so easy... and that friends are really precious. She smiles at Zoe when the next morning they sit down for their cereal. She is still somewhat mad at Zoe, but slowly coming round, much to Zoe's relief. 

This also helps with their exams, and both girls get good grades: Zoe an A, and Jasmine an A+. 

This semester, it's all about Mechanical, and Zoe achieves her required skill point on the very first evening.

By now, Jasmine is as good as over "Gunnargate"; she feels she really does not want to lose her best friend, and makes peace with Zoe.

Just going to class is not enough once a student reaches Junior Year, it seems. Zoe writes her Term Paper (as per my wish, not hers), which gives her grade a big boost.

Jasmine has only written one or two assignments; she'll pass, but certainly not with an A+. In her spare time, she has been diligently making calls to the girls at the sorority house. 

She tries again the next day and invites the girls over. Only one of the "sisters" needs some convincing, but then... 

...Jasmine can hardly believe it herself: She is now a full member of the Tri-Fruhm Sorority! 

Not much later, Zoe follows suit. Now both ladies can think about moving to the sorority house for their Senior Year.

First, though, they need to get through their end of year exams. Both of them succeed; Zoe achieves an A+ and proudly sees her name on the Dean's List. Jasmine has still managed to get a B+, which is good enough for her (she has not wished for any college-related things all year). 

It was nice to play the two friends and finally getting them into the sorority! Jasmine's jealousy over Gunnar nearly cost them their friendship, but they managed to patch things up and are now as close as ever. 

And wow - this round is over...!! I can hardly believe it myself. It has taken me so long! Next I will begin at the top of the list again with the Aspir family.

Gunnar Roque: Senior Year

Gunnar's Junior Year is here.

We're still at La Fiesta Tech, Strangetown's college, and once again with the Shifting Paradymes.

It is Gunnar's Senior Year, and we're here because of him. 

His two band mates and friends, Jasmine Rai and Zoe Zimmerman, still live with him, but I don't know how long for - they are both eligible to join the Tri-Fruhm Sorority, and might leave any day. 

Also, they are two years below Gunnar, who, according to Maxis, is a "so-so musician, but he thinks he's the best thing since sliced bread. Perhaps he'll eventually understand why his female bandmates aren't exactly at each others' throats for his attentions." 

Here, it looks as if he is wondering whether Zoe could be one of the 20 Sims he wants to woohoo with in order to reach his lifetime want. 

But even someone as cool as Gunnar needs to skill before he can think of his end-of-term exam, let alone his final one.

The next day, the Shifting Paradymes put in a long overdue practice session. Gunnar needs a creativity skill point, and what better way to acquire it than this!

The visiting cheerleader appears to be really enthusiastic about their "roque" music :-) 

Gunnar returns from class after dark, and finds someone waiting for him. "Oh, hi, Professor Platz..." Although he does wish for his first kiss ever (can you believe he is still unkissed?), the two of them only have a very tame game of chess, and become friends.

The computer breaks down just as Jasmine wants to complete her Term Paper. Gunnar is usually not one to offer his help around the house willingly, but he has the highest mechanical skill, and so it befalls him to repair it. He wisely flings his ponytail back over his shoulder before he dives deep into the inner workings of the machine. 

Jasmine has the wish to join a greek house (and I know which one, he-he), and I have her to make the phone call. The sorority girls come over right away, but although Jasmine is very good friends with Sarah Love, her relationship with the rest of the "sisters" is zero, and even hanging out with them does not do the trick. That means she'll stick around for another while.

The next day is a busy day for the Shifting Paradymes. First, Gunnar meets and greets William Williamson. 

Then, Jasmine orders groceries and finds out that the delivery man is a certain Gordon Kim - he must be related to Shenene Kim, one of the girls at the sorority she is so keen to join. 

Gunnar invites his favourite professor over. Meredith Bar knows the the young man has only one semester left at college, and she really likes him... a lot. 

Some history lesson this was! Gunnar can finally put the first of 20 names on his list of Sims he's had woohoo with (and he is not unkissed anymore, either!).

And guess what - now that he knows "what it's all about", as soon as Meredith leaves, he rings his good friend Monica Bratford. The young woman has only just graduated and is happy to get another chance at college life, however brief. Also, inexplicably, she really likes Gunnar too... a lot. 

And indeed she becomes his 2nd woohoo.

It's exam day the next day, but when Gunnar invites Professor Platz over, it is clear that last minute tutoring is NOT on his mind ;-P 

The girls calm their exam nerves by performing the school cheer. Gunnar just watches - what's there to be nervous about? 

And indeed, there is nothing! Although Gunnar has not written his term paper, and the only assignments he did were more of the... *ahem*... hands-on kind, he gets super grades just like the girls. 

All three of them of course receive their full grants, and the household account is now at almost 5,800 Simoleons, in spite of them having bought a better kitchen stove and a dish washer at the start of term.

A celebration is clearly in order, and Gunnar shares a bottle of sparkling wine with his housemate, although it was actually reserved for next time Professor Platz comes visiting.

And here she is! I don't need to tell you how things progressed from her giving Gunnar a backrub, do I? Anyway, she's now # 3 on his list, and it gave his aspiration a big boost. 

Later, Zoe talks to him about the band. "How about we introduce a violin into our next piece?" Not that she (or anyone else in the band) knows how to play it, or even owns one! 

Jasmine, too, has a suggestion. "I could use a more traditional drum every now and then to make things more interesting... what do you think?" 

To be perfectly honest, Gunnar's thoughts rarely revolve around music. And he can not understand how Jasmine can be so terribly interested in her diary, when a cool guy such as himself is around! 

The next morning, Jasmine can't believe Zoe is having a bag of crisps for breakfast! "Better than yesterday's burnt spaghetti," Zoe grins.

No matter whether one lives at the dorms, in a sorority house or has a rented property, one is never safe from the Campus Coach! 

Lora Beckett appears to be immune to Gunnar's charm, and he can't talk her into letting him off the hook. But then... I notice that these two have 3 bolts for each other! Lora is so far the first and only 3-bolt-lady for Gunnar. If it stays that way, she might well be his future better half, once he's completed his list of 20 names. 

You could have shown a bit more effort in terms of table manners for the very last breakfast with your house- and bandmates, Gunnar! 

It's true - the day of Gunnar's final exam is finally here. 

But before the three of them leave, Gunnar attacks the broken TV with fervor. 

Yay! Gunnar has made it - he has just graduated Magna Cum Laude in History! 

Not bad for someone who has put in only minimal academic effort... but quite a lot of effort to establish friendships (and more) with his professors :-D 

He does not seem to be the type to throw a big graduation party; one-on-one is more Gunnar's style. And so we'll say good-bye for him for now, and will be back to this house when it's Zoe Zimmerman's turn. 

I really had fun playing Gunnar, and it wasn't hard keeping track of Jasmine's and Zoe's actions, either. A new NPC with a playable name was discovered, and Gunnar has found a three-bolt-lady - even if it will take a long time before anything can become of that.