Introduction & Welcome

Good day, students. I am pleased to see so many of you still here from the first lecture. I'm glad I haven't scared you off. I am also pleased to see a few new faces. I know you will quickly catch up. As part of our handouts, you will find some from four foreign exchange students at Veronaville's Académie La Tour who have kindly offered to help out in this course on sim-student life. Moving on, please look at the handouts provided where you will find another email home from Giselle Jones to her parents.

Another Email Home

Dear Mom & Dad

Yes, I know I only spoke to you last night but I also know how much you like my emails. Our dorm is full now. There are seven girls including me and one guy called Ravi. He seems kinda cute, but he knows he's the cat that licked the cream as I think every girl in the dorm is after him. Ravi and I hung out chatting in the dormitory lounge. Just in case you wonder, mom, I keep my door locked and I sleep alone.

There is still some time before the end of the semester. My studies are going well and I'm ahead with my assignments. Some people say I'm best suited to major in literature, others say drama or philosophy. Sorry, dad, but I'm not going into politics. By the way, congratulations on getting the high profile Jack Michaelson case, Judge Dad. The girls were all talking about it in the showers yesterday. I didn't let them know I was your daughter but I did let Ravi know. I hope you don't mind.

I visited the Student Union building today. It has a bit of everything. Someone had put soap suds in the fountain. There was foam everywhere. I also played a game of pool and I WON. Perhaps I have a talent I never knew I had. I've also bought myself a cellphone from the union shop so you can get in touch with me anywhere on campus. I'll call you on it to give you the number.

Just please don't pass it onto Marsha Bruenig or Chloe Gonzaga. I'm fed up of them calling me and talking about what toys they've got. Why can't they just get a life? I'll call you soon Love G xxx P.S. Just in case you are wondering, I AM eating. We have a cafeteria in the dorm and the Solveig who is the dinner lady makes a half-decent chilli.

Dormitory Life

In Giselle's first email, we found out how she booked the best room for herself. When your sim arrives outside their dormitory, they are the first one there and get the pick of the best rooms. Dormitory rooms are usually quite small with room for a bed (logically) and either a dresser or a desk. If you are really fortunate, that desk might have a computer on it. Pick your room quickly as before long, "townie" (NPC) sims will fill all of the other rooms. Click on the door of the room that you want, book it and your picture appears on it. That is now your room and you have the option of leaving your door open so anyone can walk in or you can lock it for some privacy.

Most dormitories come with cafeterias so there is a ready supply of food available for your hungry sims who are returning from lectures. The dinner lady works very long hours (4am-11pm) but the kitchen is available in the meantime for anyone who wishes to try their luck. There is often a minifridge somewhere else in the dormitory to help feed the hungry students.

A cup of ramen, which looks like noodles to me, is a new option to feed your hungry sims and if you feel like a change from pizza, you can order in Chinese food for §30. Very filling but supposedly very fattening. A trip to the gym might be in order afterwards.

Expansion Interactions

With this new expansion, there are more interactions that enrich gameplay.

Your sims can now hang out together, which means sitting on the floor and chatting together. I am yet to find out how many sims can hang out at once. Kick bag allows you to kick a small beanie bag backwards and forwards. A good way of improving your social and play levels and more than two can play at once.

You can have a pillowfight in your dorm, although this can happen anywhere. Here we see Rebecca and Toshiro swinging the pillows in their dorm at ALT. Personally, I find it rather hard to believe that every sim carries a pillow with him in the event they want to have a pillowfight where the mood leads them - the campus library or anywhere else for that matter. It's really hard to study when there are feathers flying around.

There are also Pranks that can be carried out and don't have to be a student to do. You can throw water balloons, shake hands using a joy buzzer, set off sprinklers, fill fountains with soap suds and a strange one called ventrilofart. Strangely, even professors are not unknown to carry out pranks. Toshiro was surprised by his professor throwing a water balloon at him. Excluding the new concept of Influence that we will be looking at in the next lecture, there are other interactions that add to the gameplay. For extra credits, you can find some others that could work for you.

The Academic Life

In the first semester, freshmen do not have to choose a major. They do have to study, however, and pass. If they have come from the neighborhood and are not newly created young adults, they may have some skills already which could serve to their advantage. Sim students need to have certain skills as well as studying. Not having required skills can affect a student's grade in the exam at the end of the semester.

Going to classes helps somewhat, but just by going to class won't help you get an A+ and a 4.0 GPA. One hour before class, you are told about it. If your sim does not leave automatically or you want them to finish their shower, you can send them manually. I have had sims still go to class even after class is due to start.

A note about class If you are on a community lot when it is time for your class, you will leave from there. However, the game crashed to desktop for me when classes were finished. This could just be me, but Giselle didn't return. Make sure you get that taxi back home before you are due to go to classes. You'll get a few hours back at home to freshen up and ready yourself but the negative of this is that you'll find yourself a day nearer the final exam.

Doing assignments is an essential part of college academic life. Click on your chosen sim, choose the college option and choose "Do assignment". It helps a lot more towards your GPA. Most of those in Giselle's dorm do their assignments in the cafeteria. In order to raise some needed simoleons, students can tutor others with their work and get paid for it.

Completing a term paper is the largest influence on how good a result you will get for your semester's work. It can only be done on a computer and it will take a lot of time. If you have the opportunity and don't need to spend time skilling on your first day of a semester, write your term paper instead. It will get you off to a good start.

Final exam is how the semester ends. Not attending will affect your sim student's grades. 5 hours before the finals, you are reminded of the forthcoming exam. Then you also reminded a couple of hours before the exam just in case your sim had forgotten. Exams can be at really unusual times, but as this is Sim University, expecting the unexpected should be a way of life.

After you have been to your exam and return to the dorm, you are informed of your final grade and what your grant will be for the next semester.

With hard work and dedication, your sim student could easily get an A+, which starts them with a 4.0 GPA (Grade Point Average) and a place on the Dean's List.

If you have missed classes and not done your assignments, you may fail and that would put you on academic probation and therefore require you to sit that semester again.

For next time ...

In the penultimate lecture in this course, we will be looking at the new concept of Influence that works in the neighborhood as well as at university.

We will also find out how Giselle has done with her first semester's course work and whether she has indeed worked hard enough or wasted her time flirting with Ravi, calling her friends on her cellphone and emailing home.

If you have any questions, class, you know how to reach me.

Class dismissed.

Written at 08:28 on Saturday 19 March 2005 by Andy.