Joshua Ruben: Senior Year

We're back at the Urele-Oresha-Cham fraternity at Desiderata Valley's Sim State Uni.

The reason is Joshua Ruben, whose name appears next on my alphabetical list after the Roth family. Joshua was last seen here, during Ashley Pitts' Senior Year.

Here he is politely listening to Erik Swain, their latest frat brother - and probably the most short-lived one they ever had, too: Erik was already in his Senior Year when he joined the fraternity and is close to graduation. 

According to Maxis, "Joshua doesn't know where he wants to focus his studies. He's too easily distracted by sorority girls and pizza." Well, he has been focusing pretty good so far. He is a Fortune Sim who intends to have six pets reach the top of their career - meaning he won't have to work (but I know he'll have his work cut out for him looking after several pets, maybe not six at the same time, but at least two or three). 

He is majoring in Biology as per his wish, and his Senior Year has just begun. 

Of course he now needs a skill point or two, and sets to work right away. 

He even starts on his Term Paper, but before he reaches 30 %, he is off to class.

On the other side of the house, Castor Nova - another frat brother, and also in his Senior Year - first needs to repair the computer before he can get started on his Term Paper. 

Meanwhile, Erik seems to have taken over the role of Mr Pajama Bottoms, recently vacated by Ashley Pitts, who graduated and moved to The Valley last time I played here. 

Kevin Beare is the fourth frat brother here. On this evening, I have him make a batch of Grandma's Comfort Soup - the most nutritious dish, and he is the only Sim here who knows the recipe.

Joshua finishes his Term Paper in good time.

Erik Swain is still here, although he has graduated and should leave campus soon. But he has a job to do before that: He asks Jared Starchild, who has completed his Pledge period and is now a full member of the fraternity, to move in.

Jared has brought his dorm mates over for the day, and Jimmy Phoenix becomes the latest Pledge.

"They have asked me to pledge, but now what do I do?" he asks - surprisingly, there is nothing to clean or to repair at the moment, and when Jimmy is asked to serve a meal, all he does is put out canned drinks. His dorm mates Sam Thomas, Jack Kim and Ty Bubbler don't know the answer to Jimmy's question, either. 

Next to move in is Toby Scott, who has also only recently been rewarded for his Pledge period with full membership. Both Jared and Toby are Seniors like the rest of the "brothers", but their Senior Year has only just started, leaving them more time to make more friends and hopefully keep the fraternity going.

Joshua invites his younger brother Martin over, and to his surprise and delight, Martin sees quite happy to become a Pledge. 

Jimmy Phoenix wonders whether it was the right decision to pledge - he always thought the boys eat gourmet meals at the fraternity house every day, but all there is seems to be canned drinks! (I know, I know; it was actually Jimmy who served the drinks. But his face here is just so fitting the situation that I could not resist!)

Oooh... we have an autonomous falling in love!! Martin and Jane are now officially an item, as witnessed by Kevin and Castor. 

Before Erik leaves, there is always time for one last pizza, which he has just brought back from campus. "You know, Tobs, we even have our pizza out here in winter - you should try it!" Toby thinks "Tobs?!" but says nothing. 

It is then time for Erik to change into his "adult" clothes - and the blue shirt suits him, doesn't it? Jared waves good-bye as his former dorm mate and briefly frat brother walks to the taxi waiting at the curb. Of course we'll see where Erik has moved to when it his turn to be played. 

With only five hours to go until their end of term exam, I am not too happy about Joshua and Kevin using the bubble blower. Instead, I make sure they are reasonably well rested, have showers and a slice of pizza (what else!). 

And it pays off; all three of them return from their exams with good grades and the full grants gone to their account. 

This calls for a celebratory pizza, doesn't it! 

Oh dear... just as Joshua has placed the pizza carton outside at their preferred eating place, lightning strikes the birch tree next to the bench. Thankfully, the desaster is averted when rain quickly puts out the flames. 

You can always rely on Toby to do the cleaning. 

These two frat brothers may be at totally opposite ends of the spectrum, but they are united by their love of pizza!

Occasionally, Joshua does a spot of cleaning on his own accord, too.

Just as he pays this term's bills, Jimmy Phoenix arrives - he is now a full member of the fraternity, eligible to move in - and move in he does! 

Joshua may not be the best cook, but his frat brothers really appreciate the grilled cheese he's preparing for all of them.

Next (and last for this term) to move in is his younger brother, Martin. He can have Joshua's old room very soon.

And here they are, our last three original frat brothers just graduated!

Joshua has reached Summa Cum Laude in Biology, Kevin's final exam in Psychology resulted in Magna Cum Laude, and Castor is another Summa Cum Laude graduate, but in Philosophy. 

A busy Senior Year it has been! There are now a few Seniors left here, about to graduate soon. Martin Ruben will hold the fort and hopefully find new members for the fraternity; he is the only younger student here, a Sophomore.