Jacob Martin: Freshman Year

Jacob Martin has just arrived at Académie Le Tour, Riverblossom Hills' college.

Here he is, a young adult now, in a slightly odd outfit. 

He is not alone here: 

Apart from the NPC students, there is Sheldon Scott, a former Paper Boy from his neighbourhood, sent to college by me to make him playable because of his surname.

Sheldon is a Knowledge Sim who wants to be Mad Scientist (suits him, doesn't it!). He has an amazingly good skill profile, with cooking maxed out. 

Since neither Sheldon nor Jacob got any scholarships, they start out with just 1,000 Simoleons per head. After the small sums left to Jacob by Betty Goldstein and Catherine Viejo kicks in, 2,464 Simoleons are available to the boys. 

They share a table for their first meal in the dorm's cafeteria. Sheldon is glad that he knows at least one person here, and before the meal is over, the two are friends. 

Later, Jacob invites his Dad over (as per his wish), and I have him ask Robin along, too - she being the new love in Andrew's life, it is only right for his son to meet her as soon as possible.

The next morning, Jacob (who has spent all his life living with adults and still needs to get used to sharing space with a bunch of people his own age) has breakfast with one of his dorm mates, a Melanie Bertino. She obviously wants to get to know the newcomer, but all Jacob talks about are his friends for life back home. 

He wants to major in Drama, and so Drama it is.

After class, he invites Jules O'Mackey over. She asks whether she can bring along a friend, and I usually say "yes" to this. In Jules' case, the friend she brings along is her mother.

Visiting her friend here is a good way for Jules to have a peek at college life. Jacob keeps rolling the wish for her to come to college, too, but she is a little younger than he and has to finish school first. 

Melanie Bertino now checks out Jules. "So you and Jacob have been... an item?" she enquires. But if you remember, Jacob's girlfriend when they were teenagers was Sandra Roth, while Jules has always been his closest friend.

While Sheldon is bullied into working out by the Campus Coach ("You young lads just want to play computer games all day long!"), on the other side of the wall Jacob has just finished his Term Paper. 

With both Term Papers written and not much else to do, a visit to the park is a good idea on such a beautiful autumn day.

The Campus Coach has not forgotten about Scott and has followed him here, making sure the young man gets some exercise in. Meanwhile, Jacob talks to a member of the Secret Society. 

Back at the dorm, he is obviously happy to watch the Llama performing the school cheer. 

Exam Day arrived fast, and the friends sit theirs at the same time. Returning to the dorm, they can congratulate each other on A+ grades and spots on the Dean's List.

A meal of pancakes follows...

...and then it's nose to the grindstone (or, keyboard) to write those Term Papers - neither of them needs to acquire skills this semester. 

The grants they received enabled them to buy good beds, and Scott spends good part of the evening relaxing on his. Interestingly, the lady he is daydreaming about does not appear among his friends and acquaintances.

When Jacob gets up the next morning, he finds that he has slept so well in his new bed that he never woke up during the night - not even when it actually would have been necessary! (He makes it to the toilet just in time.)

He then surprises me by cleaning the shower on his own accord. 

Meanwhile, a PJ-clad Scott enjoys a dancing session with one of the dorm mates. 

Yay! Autumn! Leaves! Rain! Yay!! 

Scott and dorm mate Melanie Bertino are sworn enemies by now - for no reason at all.

The next morning, both boys get up and sit straight at their respective computers. The Campus Coach does have a point sometimes, doesn't he! 

By now, they are not only friends, but best friends.

Jacob spots another Secret Society member walking by just as the first snow flakes begin to fall. He rushes out to greet her, and she seems to wonder whether Jacob is SS Material. They soon become friends over a game of kicky bag. 

Scott, on the other hand, seems more prone to making enemies than friends. Another dorm mate says she is on Red Alert every time she sees him. Not long after this unfriendly remark, the two engage in a fight (which Scott loses).

With their final exam only 11 hours away, Jacob hopes that his Professor won't make it too hard. 

"Guys... guys! Can't you just get along?" Jacob helplessly watches as his friend gets into another fight with Melanie Bertino. 

He even talks to her afterwards, trying to find out what happened. "You saw him - he started it!" Melanie says. (It's true.) 

Regardless of the less than ideal start to their day, both Scott and Jacob do very well in their final exams, again receiving their full grants, excellent grades and spots on the Dean's List. 

Their Freshman Year is over - what is their Sophomore Year going to bring?