Freshe, Frost, Furley: Junior Year

Since the names Freshe, Frost and Furley are right one after the other on my alphabetical list, this "year" will be for all three of them. Their Sophomore year is here. Their Freshman year was at the same time as Marla Biggs'. 

Tom Freshe is a Fortune Sim, which matches his bio according to which he "is looking to make big bucks as fast as he can and figures going to college will put him ahead of the game." His lifetime want is to become City Planner, and he is majoring in Economics.

Ellen Frost "doesn't understand why some people need to party ALL the time. She just wants to graduate and get out of the crazy college life", according to her bio. Like Tom, her aspiration is Fortune. She aspires to be Head of SCIA one day.

Phineaus Furley " is a loner. Nobody seems to want him around or cares about what he has to say, but he's almost too busy trying to change the world to worry about it." I have found this not to be true. As a Family Sim, it does not come as a surprise that he wishes to see three children graduate from college eventually.

It is dark when everyone returns from their final exams. The Junior year has begun for all but one of the playable students: Tybalt Capp is a Sophomore. The others here are Ellen Frost, Chaz Whippler, Marla Biggs, Emily Lee, Phineaus Furley and Chris Cho (a recent acquisition) and, last but not least, Tom Freshe.

Boggs Hall Dorms is the largest dorm here at Veronaville's Académie Le Tour.

As usual, I will make sure everyone has their required skills and writes their Term Papers; after that, I shall only control them to make phone calls and greet passing students as well as pay their bills. Speaking of bills - money is certainly not a problem here! Their combined grants now amount to almost 37,000 Simoleons! And still I have not bought better beds or other things for them... 

Whereas last year, Tom was notorious for walking about in his underwear, he now seems to be going the opposite way, never changing out of his coat, not even for a meal at the canteen with Chaz.

He is still in his coat when he studies the skills for this semester.

Everyone needs creativity this year, it seems.

Marla came so close to being the first to complete her Term Paper this year - but she stops at 93 %, and no matter what I do, she won't continue unless she has had some sleep and boosted her fun. 

In the end, it is Chris Cho to come first this year with her Term Paper. 

Chaz, he of the pointed nose, is next. 

Tom is not far behind. 

I knew I had seen Alan Riley before! Last time I played at this dorm, Phineaus Furley befriended him, and now he invites him over. Alan and Phineaus are not quite at the stage where Alan can be asked to move in, but that day is not far off. 

Tom has taken off his coat and has just finished eating when one of the NPC students here, a certain Meredith Dallas, starts arguing with him. I don't know what the argument is about, Tom seems rather upset.

Maybe Meredith has told him to take better care of his personal hygiene - well, she does have a point! But Tom gives as good as he gets, and the two of them engage in a poking match until the phone rings and a professor asks to speak to him.

More often than not, it is with Chaz that Tom has his meals. But why does Marla think she has to clear the table for the boys?! And Chaz is still eating, by the way!

I thought Tybalt was the last to finish his Term Paper this semster, but in fact it is Ellen, who only finished when I realised that she had actually stopped at 75 % when I had sent her to the computer originally.

Just before she followed Tybalt to the cafeteria and starts arguing with him, she had been observing him from afar with hearts floating around her head. This woman doesn't know what she wants, it seems! Anyway, before their argument develops any further, they decide to go and play catch... Sometimes their free will leads my Sims to strange behaviour! 

Ellen may sometimes not be fully dressed, but she always makes sure her makeup is flawless! 

With everyone ready for their exams and still another full day left, everyone but Emily who is at class boards a taxi to the Romara Coffee Shop. 

As usual, some students have chosen to remain in ther PJs. And as usual, some students choose their romantic interest without my direction: Marla and Tybalt are in love after she caresses his face autonomously - that's spring for you!

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Inside, Phineaus is happy to see that his friend Alan Riley is already here. Max Flexor has also come over.

Tybalt makes hotdogs for everyone. In the back, you can see Edwin Sharpe talking to one of the NPC students.

Tom and Chris meet Mitch Indie.

Poor Ellen - I do not direct her now, and so she falls victim to the Unsavoury Charlatan. 

Chris has no set romantic orientation, and while she thinks Tom is "hot", she also finds Marla very attractive. Sorry, Chris - Marla's heart now belongs to Tybalt. 

The hedges and shrubs around the dorms need trimming, and I have Marla and Phineaus influence two of the NPC students to take care of it. 

Speaking of Phineaus, he is clearly NOT amused when the Cow Mascot tries to tickle him.

Tom, Ellen and Emily return from class at the same time and stop for a little chat before going inside.

Maybe you remember that Chaz had been admiring Ellen from afar for some time during their Freshman and Sophomore years. Now that he does not seem to be so keen on her anymore, Ellen is puzzled. 

Upstairs, Marla and Phineaus are dancing the evening away with one of their NPC dorm mates with Chaz mooching around. 

Tom has one of his infamous sponge baths - with two clean showers just a few feet away.

In spite of some of them having attended their exams with very little sleep, all eight students end this rather eventful semester on best grades.

Those first days at the start of a semester always pass by in a whirlwind, don't they. The campus coach tries to make nearly everyone work out, but is not really successful - everyone is far too busy to listen to her. It is nice to see Marla and Tybalt eating together (not because I told them to). 

Like everyone else, Ellen needs to brush up on her skills.

Tom finally has a fight with Meredith - everybody has been waiting for it, but I'm afraid I didn't stick around long enough to watch the outcome. With eight playable students, there is always something going on somewhere else at the dorm! 

Phineaus has a late lone meal at the canteen.

Tom, Ellen and Chris return from class at the same time. As you can see, Tom still thinks of Meredith - or, more likely, the fight he had with her. 

Phineaus chooses to work out to Reggae music in order to gain the body skill he needs this semester.

Emily is first to complete her Term Paper. 

Ellen talks to Marla about all the money she is going to earn as future Head of SCIA. 

Tom makes use of the dorm's own library.

While he works on his creativity, Ellen has already finished her Term Paper and can do what she feels like doing, such as playing darts. 

By the way, Ellen and Tom have autonomously fallen in love with each other - I never saw it happening, but according to Tom's memories, it must have happened soon after his fight with Meredith. They are both Fortune Sims and seem well suited for each other. 

And then, Tom has another fight with Meredith! This time, I watch long enough to see the outcome. 

Tom wins! 

Phineaus has taken his time, but eventually, he completes his Term Paper. 

Somehow, Tom ends up last to write his Term Paper this semester, with not all that much time left before the final exam. 

Delilah O'Feefe has not really appeared yet this round; I have spotted her only fleetingly at a community lot. Now, though, she is greeted by Tom and comes in to meet the other students here at the dorm. 

And the summer semester ends for everyone on best grades - with one exception: Chaz "only" gets an A- instead of an A+. 

Now the majority of my playable students here are ready to tackle their final year at uni. Will they invest their combined grants (more than 54,000 Simoleons) to make some improvements to their rooms? Are Tybalt and Marla as well as Tom and Ellen stay together, and will other couples follow?

In any case, after this large dorm, I am quite ready to play a smaller household next!

Max Flexor: Freshman Year

These tiny houses are at 4 Danish Drive, part of Veronaville's Académie Le Tour. 

They are both cheaply furnished and so small the bedrooms don't even hold double beds. But each house comes with its own shower room, kitchen and dining table with chairs. Who would want to live in such tiny quarters?

Mitch Indie and Max Flexor! 

According to their household bio, they "met the first day of school and struck up a friendship. What will they discover now that they've moved out of the dorms and are on their own?" 

Max (right) is a Popularity Sim who sees himself as future Captain Hero. Maxis says about him that he "is trying to absorb some of Mitch's "cool" vibe. He enjoys reading and cooking."

Mitch (left) has the typical lifetime want of a Family Sim: To marry off six children. He "is into innovation, whether it's music, fashion, or art. He's a true hipster", according to Maxis. 

The two friends have a shared bank account with 984 Simoleons at their disposition. The parcel left on the front porch of Max' house is very welcome; it contains the computer the two of them will use to write their term papers on.

But before they can even think of starting on their papers, they need food, and then it is time for class. Mitch's major is Drama while Max has chosen Physics.

Skills have to be acquired. Mitch needs cooking and mechanics... 

...while Max had to buy the cheapest mirror available (thank you, IKEA!) in order to gain charisma. Mitch now has the same mirror in his shower room, and since the computer is in Max' house, Mitch set up a book shelf - otherwise, they would have to do all their studying at the library.

Max finishes his Term Paper first. Before that, Mitch had been writing his paper, but broke off at 75 % when his fun level was too low to continue. After Mitch had taken care of all his needs, I wanted to complete the remaining 25 % - but the option did not show; all he could do at the computer under "college" was to "change major" - which he certainly didn't want! Really odd, but I am not complaining :-) 

With classes finished for the day and both boys having nothing better to do, I send them to the Academy Park. 

They meet and greet various students, some of them playables such as Marla Biggs and Phineaus Furley (not pictured), but also at least three members of the Secret Society. Without being told, Max grills hot dogs for everyone.

Back home, Mitch surprises me by taking the bills out of the mailbox on his own initiative. That is something I very rarely see in my game! After the bills are paid, the friends have 557 Simoleons left.

Max went straight to bed upon their return from the park, with the result that he gets up in the middle of the night. Well, I do not control my students once they have written their term papers apart from having them make phone calls to make and maintain friendships, and so I just lean back and watch.

The Cow Mascot appears and starts to annoy the heck out of Max. After a misguided attempt at a pillow fight, Max has enough and sends the Cow packing. 

He then cleans the kitchen counter at Mitch's house on his own accord.

Looking out of the window, he spots a wall lamp. Fascinating! 

Back at his own house, he relaxes on the bed and thinks of Mitch... 

...of an NPC student named Jasmine Steele who is part of the Secret Society... 

...of Roxie Sharpe (who he was already friends with when I entered this lot)... 

...and Phineaus Furley, whom he met at the park.

Last but not least, he thinks of one of his Professors - maybe that's inevitable, with the end of term exam being so close.

It has been raining, and Max loves to jump in the puddles. I stop him, though, and have him make a phone call - I know he'd never stop on his own unless he'd have to go to class or his needs were all red. 

What is it with Sims and puddles?! 

Max wants a nap so that he will be fully rested for his exam. However, Mitch decides this is the time to play SSX on their shared computer, and so Max relocates to Mitch's house to get his forty winks. 

Boosting his fun level has helped Mitch just as having a nap has helped Max - both return from their exams with A+ grades and the full grants! They now have nearly 3,000 Simoleons to play with. 

And again, the bills are taken out of the mail box without me doing anything. I wonder whether they'd be paid, but I rather not wait for the Repo Man and have Max dealing with them instead.

Some of their grand money is used to buy an easel for each of the friends. They now need creativity, logic and body skill points. 

Mitch is first to be ready for his Term Paper, and this time, he finishes it in one go. I have Max write his afterwards, even though he still lacks a logic point - there is no telescope or chess board on the lot.

Mitch greets a fellow student by the name Alan Riley. I am not sure whether I have seen him before, but I think I have. Anyway, apart from Riley being my real life surname, Alan was the name of my late husband's father (we never met, as he died long before I appeared on the scene). 

A visit to Le Tour Student Centre is in order.

Max finally gains his logic skill point. 

The cafeteria cook seems to be particularly attractive in Mitch's eyes - but Mitch, you want six children; the lady behind the counter is too old for that, unfortunately!

Mitch then talks some more to a member of the Secret Society. (I am really making an effort here!)

Back home, Roxie Sharpe comes visiting on her own accord. 

The boys spend the evening separately in their respective houses, both painting away as if there was no tomorrow. ]]>

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And both paint the same lady in a green dress - I wonder who will finish his painting first. (Mitch does.) 

No wonder one of his professors is again on Max' mind - the final exam is only 8 hours away. 

And although they sat their exam after having had very little sleep, both friends end their Freshman year on an A+. Well done, both of you! 

With the surname "Indie" not being all that far away from "Flexor" on my alphabetical list, we'll be back for Mitch and Max' Sophomore year relatively soon. 

Will they then be accepted into the Secret Society? Is either of them going to find a romantic interest? Are their houses going to remain like that, or can I be bothered to give them a makeover?