Marla Biggs: Freshman Year

Welcome to Académie Le Tour, the university I have assigned to Veronaville, somehow finding it fitting for the presumed "Old World" charm Maxis obviously had in mind when designing that neighbourhood.

The Sim we are mainly going to follow through her Freshman Year now is Marla Biggs, the young woman with the glasses. With her at the dorm are several other playable students. You will all know them from your own games, and of course you shall meet them properly in due time. Maxis says about Marla that she "may have some big glasses, but they're a reflection of her big heart. She is searching for her identity in a new place." Her aspiration is Knowledge, and she wants to become a Game Designer. Her Maxis-chosen Major is Biology.

The dorm is large and has everything students may need. Clockwise from the lower left corner, on the ground floor we find a common room with settees, a TV, two pinball machines, an easel and a microwave. In the top right corner are two toilets. Moving further on, still clockwise, we find a common study room with bookshelves, table, chairs, more settees and an (empty) aquarium. Next are a room with four desks and three computers, and last but not least, the cafeteria.

Upstairs are not only 12 bedrooms (while the lot can not hold more than eight playable students) but also a washroom with toilets and showers as well as a common room with a fireplace, chess table and - you guessed it - more settees.

Marla claims her room and then meets some of the other girls. To the right is Emily Lee, in the background you can see Ellen Frost. The blonde girl is a former townie teen I have just made playable by moving her to college: Chris Cho (yes, Cho, which is why I made her playable).

She proceeds to where she can hear music, joining Chaz Whippler in a dancing session.

As Freshmen, everybody here badly needs to skill, and so the dorm's library is Marla's next stop.

Later, she has her first meal in the cafeteria, joined at the table by Ellen and Emily.

After class, she plays chess with Chaz :-) 

In the meantime, Phineaus Furley has just become the first student at this dorm to complete his Term Paper. From now on, he will not be controlled for the rest of this semester, except for the odd phone call or greeting someone.

Marla goes to her narrow bed, tired but content with her first day at uni.

Emily Lee is next to finish her Term Paper, and obviously very pleased with it.

Someone has had "fun" with the sprinkler in the upstairs common room. Marla can't stand puddles on the carpet and goes about mopping up all the water.

The bills for the dorm mates have arrived, and Marla makes sure everything is paid, leaving the joined household account at a mere 2,690 Simoleons.

An NPC student by the name of Carl Cho passes by and is of course promptly invited in, sharing a table with Marla at the canteen.

Tom Freshe finishes his Term Paper in his underpants - had had already been asleep when I discovered all his needs where well enough for a final session at the computer. 

Marla is not far behind.

It's sponge bath time for Tom - of course I don't need to tell you that the boys' shower room is empty and in perfect condition (as perfect as it can be in a dorm as big as this). He even leaves the door open!

The young man approaching the front door is Mitch Indie, another playable Maxis-made student we will meet properly at a later stage. Although the campus coach has arrived, Chaz Whippler is in no mood for the recommended (or, rather, commanded) workout. 

He needs to boost his fun and does so watching TV before I send him to write his Term Paper as the last of our playable group here.

It's Exam Day, and Marla is up very early. To settle her nerves, she plays at the pinball machine before breakfast.

They all return from their end-of-term exams with an A+ - except for Chris Cho, who has "only" achieved a B. The grants coming with their good results boost the household account to 10,590 Simoleons. I will try and invest some of that in better furniture and fixtures. 

Just as the second semester of their Freshman year starts, Jonah Powers walks by. As you know, he is another playable student here at Académie Le Tour, and so I have Phineaus greet him.

Marla has her very first painting session - she needs a creativity point for this semester. 

Marla checks the mail on the table in the common room for letters from home. (Of course there are no letters from home - she doesn't even have a past or a family tree, but let's just pretend that's what these bills are.)

By mid-term, everyone has finished their Term Papers, with Tom being last. As before, he seems to prefer doing things wearing only his underwear.

Marla seems to have taken a more relaxed attitude towards her attire, too - she can be seen at breakfast in the dorm cafeteria still in her PJs. But she is obviously enjoying college life, and that's fine.

What with everyone having done their Term Papers and not much else to do right now, I finally send the bunch of students to a community lot and decide on Waffle Way Shops. 

There, I have Marla buy herself a cellphone; then I largely lean back and watch what everyone gets up to.

Chris and Phineaus engage in a pillow fight (funny they brought their pillows along on the taxi!) :-D

They are not the only ones being silly - Emily and Tom fool around, too.

Upon my initiative, Chaz greets a Secret Society member.

Ellen grills hot dogs for everyone.

Phineaus - quick! Sneak past the Unsavoury Charlatan, and DON'T talk to him!

A good witch appears, and the community lot is bathed in beautiful golden autumn light. 

Emily also tries to befriend a Secret Society member.

Marla spots Carl Cho, and she and Chaz play kicky bag with the student who may well become a fellow resident at their dorm. Speaking of Chaz - I discover that he has a crush on Ellen Frost. She seems to be unaware, and I am not going to force anything. After everyone has been to class and returned, I send the group back to their dorm.

Only a few hours later, they head off for their final exam. This time, everyone achieves an A+ and a spot on the Dean's List - well done, all of you! Also, everyone notices how smelly Tom is - some Sims take better care of their personal hygiene than others...

When we next visit here, these students will be Sophomores. The household now has 18,025 Simoleons; I have not yet done anything with the money, as I was too busy playing and did not want to take time out of that to choose better beds or build a comfortable bathroom.