University - Round 1

Starring:

Jiro Tanaka, Young Adult Romance Sim, LTW Become Hall of Famer

Kimi Tanaka, Young Adult Romance Sim, LTW Become Rock God


Mariko Tanaka, Young Adult Popularity Sim, LTW Become Media Magnate

~*~*~*~*~

Fresh out of what felt like a stifling environment back in Rosebud, Jiro, Kimi, and Mari arrived at Sim State University feeling like a million dollars. True, there was a bit of lingering guilt for leaving their Grandma Yuuna behind to care for their toddler siblings Aki and Inari, but the three of them found it was hard to care about much other than themselves after the death of their parents. After all, what good had caring about their parents done? They'd died and left them behind. All three siblings felt that the most important thing in life was to be self-sufficient. Even if it was unspoken, they understood that when you relied on no-one, you couldn't miss them when they disappeared.

Mari felt her heart swell with pride and excitement as she approached the dorm first, Jiro and Kimi not far behind.

Kimi was most conflicted about leaving behind Yuuna, but she'd always been the responsible one. Jiro came ready to party, and Kimi had to admit, she was glad to be out of the house as well, and in the freedom of college where she and her same-age siblings might be able to flourish.


The first thing they did after claiming their rooms was to take a walk to some of the college common lots, checking out the place and getting some new, more college-appropriate outfits.


They didn't have a lot of money, but the clothes here were hip and young, and the sense of freedom was dizzying.

Jiro stuck with his typical unusual style, which vascillated between TokyoPop and Sk8tr Boi.


Kimi was sensible and no-nonsense as usual.

And Mariko was...thrilled to be as outrageous and sexy as she wanted to be. Her mother would have gasped with shock at the midriff-bearing outfit, and her father would have frowned deeply at all the makeup she had on, but Mari thought she looked good...darn good, and she loved it.


They all went to the kitchen, starved, and were pleasantly surprised to see that the Landgrabb Dorm came with its own cook! Since they'd left in such a hurry from home, they hadn't had time to truly research what all the college would offer. It was definitely going to be an exciting and surprising experience.


Jiro was on his way to grab a plate of food when he spotted the most sexy girl he thought he'd ever seen. Sure her nose was a little big, but she had tan legs that seemed like they went neck-high, and his stomach flipped at the sight of her petite form. He quickly introduced himself. She was Katy Bruty, she said, and she was staying here in the Landgrabb House too.


She soon had to leave for class, though, and she left Jiro with a tight knot of attraction in his belly. Mari and Kimi laughed at his lovesick look as they took their dishes to the sink. "That didn't take long," Mari giggled. "Come on, Romeo," Kimi called, breaking Jiro out of his swoon. "We need to declare majors."


Mariko thought that a drama major would help her become a good public speaker.


Kimi knew that a creative major like art would prepare her well for becoming the Rock Goddess she knew she had in her.



And Jiro didn't really want to major in anything besides girls, but he figured a biology major couldn't hurt his goal of becoming a Hall of Famer. Maybe it would help him know what he pulled or strained while working out.



The siblings stuck close together initially, wondering what classes would be like, what the other kids would be like, what their futures would be like. Their excitement was almost palpable.


They knew they couldn't lounge around being giddy about being on their own at school forever, though, so they finally got down to doing some work. Mari met Catalina Walton, another girl staying in the dorm, and asked if she could join her in studying. "I don't want to fall behind," Mari said with a charming smile, which Catalina returned warmly, telling her she'd be glad to have a study buddy. Everyone always liked Mari.


It was harder work than they all thought. The university not only required them to do homework and write papers, it also required them to be fairly well-rounded individuals. They spent a lot of time trying to become more creative...


...more logical...


...more skilled in the kitchen...


...and more charismatic.



Mari especially knew she had to be as charismatic as possible. If she was going to work in media, she had to be sure her audience would naturally feel inclined to like her. It would make her a lot more successful. After all, she reasoned, why else would movie stars get elected to political office?

They didn't neglect their studies either, doing what sometimes felt like an endless string of assignments.


It was Kimi who first decided that she wanted to write a term paper, and when she got back her grade and saw how much it was improved, she passed the word onto her siblings. "Guys, you'll never believe how much one term paper raised my grade! It's a pain and takes forever, but you can totally coast once you've done that."


And so, Mariko took to writing term papers and skipping her homework...

...and so did Jiro. They still occasionally did homework the normal way, though, for a last minute boost before final exams.


Most of them, anyway. Sometimes Jiro cheated and sweet talked one of the girls in the dorm into doing his work for him so he could go on dates or tinker with his robot station. Kimi and Mari just rolled their eyes at how the girls always seemed to fall for that goofy puppy thing he always did when he was trying to compliment a young, unsuspecting lady into doing his work for him.

Jiro spent a lot of time in his room tinkering.

Someday he hoped to make a robot that could cook and clean and do all sorts of things for him, leaving him free to pursue other interests.


Like making new friends!


Making new friends was one of Jiro's favorite things to do. He never felt like he could have enough. Every time he met one new person, he immediately wanted to meet another, and he wanted to be best friends with all of them. Making new friends was his favorite hobby. Well, except for one thing...



Romancing Travis was loads of fun, and Jiro knew that he was an important guy on campus. Something about that jacket he always wore.

Romancing Katie was even more fun, though. She couldn't get enough of him!

Plus, she thought he was totally hot. He could hardly believe his luck! Such a cute girl wanting to be with him. He had to take full advantage of it.

She was his first kiss, and even though he knew he didn't want to be with her forever, being with her for right now felt amazing.



SO amazing, in fact...


...that he had to try to go to the next step. He found that she was as eager as he was, much to his relief.


A few hours later, he was snuggling with her in her double bed, happy and sleepy.


It made it a little difficult sometimes, being in love with two different people in the same house, but Jiro liked it. He thought it was exciting. He thought it was so exciting that he wanted even MORE lovers. If two was this much fun, how much fun might three, four, five, even twenty be!?

Kimi could only shake her head and smile. They were all sewing their wild oats a bit in college, feeling the draw of freedom, knowing that they could pretty much do whatever they wanted so long as they kept their grades up enough. Even responsible Kimi felt the draw of all the entertaining things and people around.

She enjoyed spending a lot of time with Mariko. Despite their differences, they'd always been close.


Kimi particularly enjoyed it when she could talk her sister into playing a game of chess. Kimi had a natural penchant and skill for games, she discovered quickly, when she beat her sister at nearly every game they played. "That's it! I can't play with you!" Mari finally said, throwing up her hands in exasperation one day. Kimi was forced to find new people to play with, so she checked out the local gamers hangout.


There, she met a lot of interesting people, and they were all interested in gaming too! She spent an entire day there without realizing how fast time had gone.


She even spotted Arnaud Beaumont there, who she vaguely recognized from her hometown of Rosebud.


Not only was this place fun, Kimi thought, but all the guys seemed to think she was a hottie! Who could ask for better than that!?




There was one guy she played with, though, that Kimi could return the sentiment to.


Donte Wren was, Kimi thought, one of the most handsome guys she had ever seen. His outfit left something to be desired, but clothes could be changed. What mattered was that this guy was a stone fox. She knew she had to get to know him better. She decided to invite him over to the dorm.


They hung out for a while, playing chess and talking, getting to know one another a little better. They found they had more in common than just a love for games. Kimi swallowed hard and realized she wanted very much to ask him on a date. "Donte...um...would you like to go out and get something to eat? With me? Now?" He looked at her, surprised, but then laughed, obviously pleased. "I'd love to!"


They headed downtown, a very relieved Kimi happily leading Donte to a very nice restaurant just off campus. They ordered and couldn't stop chattering at each other long enough to eat their food. Kimi had never met a man she felt she could talk to as well as she could Donte.

Halfway through the meal, when he reached over and put his hand over hers, she felt a thrill of butterflies in her stomach and wondered if maybe he might feel the same way.


Her question was answered when he walked her back to her dorm and said goodnight to her by giving her her first kiss. Kimi felt like she was walking on air the rest of the week. University, she decided, was utterly and completely rad. She wasn't the only one.

Mariko Tanaka was in heaven. There were like 50,000 more people here than there were at home in that tiny little town of Rosebud!

During one of their first days on campus, Mari talked Kimi into accompanying her to the gym.


They worked out for a while, then jumped in the showers. Kimi always hated working out, and Mari couldn't help but tease her about it. "What, you can beat me on the chess board but not on the treadmill?" Mari snickered in the face of Kimi's exhausted glare, her sister too out of breath to say anything for all the panting.



Outside as they left, they ran into some new people. One of those people was Edward Gibson. Mariko thought he was pretty goofy looking, but he sure was interesting to talk to. She and Edward had the most fascinating discussion about football - Mariko's passion. Actually, she loved sports of any kind, much like Edward.


They could hardly drag themselves away from talking about sports, but Mariko promised to give him a call and invite him over so they could catch a game together sometime.


Back at home, in the dorms, Mariko was making friends too. She got to know Travis Indina, though she didn't have the faintest idea that Jiro was involved with him.


He seemed like a pretty decent guy, though. She liked that he played catch with her.



She also met Stella Terrano, who Mariko couldn't help but notice was beautiful and exotic-looking with her green skin and large black eyes.


She met Gina Leong at the College Center...


...and Gina informed her that she was really starting to become better known around campus. Mariko didn't really meet people with the intention of having a good reputation spread around about her; she simply liked having a lot of friends. But Gina's compliment meant a lot to her.



She also met Vanessa McAuley, the Atrociously Evil Witch, that day at the College Center. Of course, Mariko didn't know she was an atrociously evil witch. She simply thought that Stella's shade of green was much prettier and less...unnerving.


Later that week, with some of her scholarship money, Mariko purchased a bubble blower and decided to invite Edward over as promise. Kimi invited her love interest, Donte Wren.



Mari couldn't remember a time she'd had more fun, when she felt as young, alive, and utterly happy as she did that night as the four of them hung out, blew bubbles, and laughed until dawn.


Mari said a polite goodnight to Edward and peeked out the window as Kimi said a less-polite goodbye to Donte. Mari laughed quietly, happy to see her sister so enamored.


The next day, Mari got an idea. With all the new friends she was making, and with all the money she and her siblings had lying around from their A+ scholarships, they could do something that would really make them famous on this campus. They could make history. They could start a fraternity!!


With all of their funds pooled, the siblings purchased a house near the Landgrabb dorm and plopped a bunch of beds into it. They moved in, and as soon as they got there, Mari called in a charter. They were approved!

The siblings celebrated their success, ready to party REALLY hearty for their remaining two years at university. Once they got some of their friends to pledge, they could become the king and queens of campus. Nothing could be more free than that.

~*~*~*~*~

Scoring:

New sims: 0

Bronze Hobby Plaque (Jiro, Robotics): 1

~*~*~*~*~

[[Author's Notes: WOW, UNIVERSITY TOOK FOREVER TO PLAY. And it was only three sims for two years! I took something like 200 photos and narrowed it down to this many, which is still a ton and a half. :) It was loads of fun though. I really, really loved playing university, and I've gotten really attached to these three kids. I could hardly force myself to stop playing, especially when I knew how many photos awaited my editing, and how much I had to say in my blog! (I try to keep up and play a family, then blog a family, play a family, then blog a family. If I don't, I would never ever blog and would fall behind. Playing is my built-in reward for blogging.)

I don't have much to say other than I think these three are totally fun. I can't wait to get the other teens to university now, though I dread how many photos that will add! I leave you with some cute bloopers for the first half of Uni:

Jiro nasty dancin' with Travis // Jiro's new BFF. // Perhaps we need another cook... // Maybe showing up in his bedroom unannounced in your underwear is considered coming on a little strong.]]