I installed University with no problems (so far!) and sent a batch of the townie teens to Sim State University just to get a feel for the new gameplay. I took pictures thinking it might be fun to post them and decided to write up a little narrative to go with them, told from the point of view of Ivy Copur. I’ll get back to the Shanleys very soon — this is just a little detour.
For reference, here are the townies who got to go, from left to right: Ivy Copur, Orlando Centowski, Sophie Miguel, and Ricky Cormier. Hope you enjoy!
My First Semester at Sim State
by Ivy Jane Copur
You know, it’s not easy being a Townie in Mt. Geneva. We work and go to school, make friends and fall in love like everyone else, but at the end of the day, what place can we call home? Nowhere! Other Sims have comfortable houses and family members who love them, but we Townies are completely adrift (though somehow still able to make and receive phone calls — why is that?). And teens have it the worst — we don’t ever grow up, so even if we fall in love with one of those other Sims, we can never marry them. I don’t mean to sound whiny, but it’s really unfair. They go on with their lives and get married to someone else, and we’re stuck in these teen bodies forever, unable to do anything about it.
Well, not anymore! The powers that be decreed that we Townie teens would be able to attend college at the new Sim State University, and if we did, we’d finally grow up. I nearly cried when I heard the news. No more roaming aimlessly without a home, no more watching generation upon generation of friends grow old and die, no more eating other Sims’ moldy leftovers. I signed up right away! I was totally psyched when I found out my friends Sophie, Ricky, and Orlando would be going with me.
I had no idea what to expect as the taxi pulled up outside of our gray cement dormitory. In the seat next to me, Ricky was jiggling his knee in nervous excitement. The butterflies inside my stomach were going wild, so I know how he felt. Since I was closest to the door, I took a deep breath and climbed out into the sunshine. Almost immediately I felt a strange tingly feeling I had never felt before, and as I started spinning, I realized — I was growing up! Yes, just like that, I had left my seemingly endless teenage days behind.
Ricky was next, then my best bud Sophie. She finally got to say goodbye to that awful teal and yellow track suit! Good thing, too, because it was getting a little rank.
Before Orlando had even climbed out of the car, I was off like a shot to explore our new home. None of the other students had arrived yet, so we had the place all to ourselves! I couldn’t help it, I just had to be the first one to dirty up the canvas I found on the second floor. I’ve always wanted to learn how to paint!
Eventually I went downstairs to claim my bedroom. I found Orlando standing in front of his, just sort of dazed. When I asked him what was wrong, he said, “Ivy…we’re here. We’re really here!” Orlando is a little bonkers anyway, so I just laughed and said, “Of course we are!” I ran down to the end of the hallway and claimed my room — we were all on the first floor together!
Soon other students began to arrive and claim their rooms. I went up to say hello and met a girl named Lakshmi.
“I just flew in from Sim City,” she said in a bored yawn. “My ears are still clogged up.”
“Are you a townie, too?” I asked, my curiosity getting the best of me. Well, I guess that was a rude question, because she just gave me a blank look, then walked off to play darts with Orlando. Apparently he doesn’t have any trouble making friends. He’s even buddy-buddy with Dickson the cafeteria worker already.
I think Orlando must be sweet on Lakshmi, because they walked to class together later that afternoon. He tried to look all nonchalant about it, but I know better! In the taxi he admitted to us that his greatest wish is to get married and have kids (while Ricky’s fondest desire is to break as many hearts as possible). So I’d bet Orlando is already scoping out the ladies, hoping to meet Ms. Right. Could it be Lakshmi?
(continued on Page 2)
you love it don’t you? Is time for revenge! I sent Meadow to UNIV. lol she got rejected!!! lmao!!!! somehow I felt very happy when i saw her crying… bad girl!
as always Jen nice pics! also I’m waiting for Pinstar to start the Greek Challenge, I have my sim ready [ girl ] for this! I will use the academie style for the challenge. later!
Hi Lorna! That’s hilarious about Meadow. I almost sent her to school, too, but wanted to start with a different batch of teens first. Meadow’s time will come soon, though…heehee. The Greek Challenge sounds interesting, I might have to try it at some point. I thought I read in the game book (the little one that came with the EP) that the Academie doesn’t have fraternities or sororities. I wonder if that’s because it’s supposed to have more of a European vibe? Anyway, I look forward to hearing about how it goes for you!
Very cool inside look at the University for those of us who haven’t gotten it yet, not that I could play it even if I did have it, but it’s awesome to see pics and read the happenings of your lovely sims. Can’t wait to read more.
ohhh lol yeah you are right Jen! them Sim University will do… I read about the challenge and it seems somehow like Legacy but I think it will be more difficult. dunno… maybe I will just start my own challenge :P
wow! your first University blog story! what a great head’s start! i’m glad you got some use out of that thread i created on MTS2. yes, it was hard to write and i kept on tweaking it to make it perfect.
i don’t follow the BBS at all, so do you have a link to the new Legacy Challenge? i can’t wait to try it out. :D
Hm. Dosen’t look all that great… ahell, I still want more! T__T It’ll be fun to see Shanley children go :3
Wow Jen, great idea! I don’t have the game myself, I’m waiting until later when, first, I can get the sims 2 working again, and second, when my mother and I have the time (we’ll be gone this weekend visiting my aunt, my uncle, and my cousin, Dustin). Thanks for this! I can’t wait to see more. How long did it take you to finish the first semester?
I am totally going to send all my townies to University now. They are all going and then I’ll have new blood for my neighborhood who is virturally all related. Srry I just love this idea. What is Sophie’s aspiration? I have been dying to know. I can’t stand that sim. Maybe I’ll kill her. I’m getting evil. What is this game doing to me? Well, anyways great blog as usual and keep up your commentary of the continuing townie saga.
OMG! How cool! I am so jealous. Expect me to be start drooling sometime soon. Jen, you are so good at this whole story thing! You are in your element, for sure! Anyways, keep it up! Oh no… I’m drooling already…. lol
oh i can’t wait to hear more about UNIV since I don’t have it myself yet!
Wow, you already played a lot with the new EP if you already got them trough a whole semester!
I am getting more and more jealeous by the minute!!!!!
Actually, it only took me two hours or so to get them through first semester. I spent more time building a dorm! ;-) I just sent another batch of townies to school last night but didn’t get through first semester with them yet. Eventually I want to combine the two batches into one all-townie household, probably their junior year. I’ll probably continue to post stories on them just for kicks. But I will go back to the Shanleys soon!
Kathy – Pinstar hasn’t released the official rules for either of the new challenges yet, but here are the previews on the BBS:
The Greek Challenge
University Legacy Challenge
I plan on doing the Legacy one for sure, but I might try the Greek one at some point, too. They both sound fun. :-)
Jen, you are soooo lucky! Here, in Poland the game still isn’t out. I have to wait ONE more WEEK! Yes, yes I am impatient ;). If I am lucky I will get the game on this Saturday (well my neighbour works in EA Poland, so I always get the games first – yes, I’m lucky :P), but I don’t think so. I have a question: If you send your sims to one dorm, and your other sims to the second – do they meet at college or on the campus? (well I have a bunch or sims to send and I want them to meet each other).
Hi Jen. Thank you! Thank you! So much!! For posting EP so soon. I have heard a lot of negative reviews by people who are playing the EP. They say they are disappointed but all of us who don’t have it would love nothing more then to play it. I love the pics you posted. I showed my cousin the pic of ramen noodles and it blew her mind. lol
I can’t wait to hear more about your sim’s university life. Jen do you think you can take pic of the campus and a pic of what the dorms look like on the outside? Also have you tried the camera yet? Just wondering. Thanks for the update i truely enjoyed it.
Happy simming.
Oh, I am envious and so interested in the Sims 2 University. I can’t afford to get the EP for a while. So, I will read and live vicariously through you on the university portion. LOL! he pictures are fabulous. HUGS! :)
jenni120 – I had to approve your comment for some strange reason, so I didn’t see it until this morning! Sorry about that. About Sophie Miguel, she’s a Fortune Sim. And I wasn’t surprised to see she has a Niceness of ‘3’. She’s always mean, so I can’t blame you for wanting to off her. ;-) Now that I’m playing her, though, I kinda like her…at least I can keep her meanness under control.
Lea – To answer your question: I’m not sure. :-) My second batch of townies hasn’t met the first batch yet. Sometimes random students will just drop by the dorms, so maybe one of them will show up? I’ll let you know! Otherwise they might run into each other at community lots, too. Hope you get your copy soon!
Mary – I’ve read the negative reviews, too, but I’ve also read some very positive ones. I haven’t played the EP enough to give my own review yet, but so far I like it. I think EPs are always a little bit of a letdown, just because they seem cooler in theory than they do in practice. :-) I guess I imagined campuses being more fun, but they’re still just a collection of community lots, and since the clock continues to tick for your Sim when they’re away from the dorms, you can’t really spend TOO much time on them. At least that has been my experience so far. So that’s a little disappointing. And I don’t really like any of the new hairstyles — I really wanted more new meshes. But I haven’t even seen stuff like the new careers, the new career rewards (like the camera), or really explored the new Influence system, so there’s a lot more I have to do! I’ll make sure and post more pics for you! :-)
Hey There;
Glad to see you writing your stories again.
I installed my UEP this morning and I really need to figure it out. My L. family is on hold until I know what I can do with them . All there wants changed to something related to University when my 2nd g. heir grew up into a teen. He really wants to go to college and get a cell phone …plus all the new interactions I’ve seen are pretty cool.
Well need to go and make dinner for the family , here’s hoping I can play more than an hour ( that’s how much time I had when I installed UEP).
Toodles!
It seems like forever since I last posted in here. I’m so sorry, Jen! I’ve been so busy! Anyways, I loved it. I wish I could ge thte University but I can’t get it until this weekend. When I do, though, I’m so gonna send my sims right away! How is it for you so far? Congrats on the game. I loved your update, by th way!
Yay Jen! You ArE truly in your element! Keep on going, as to keep all of us just coming back for more!
Hehe! Oh, I have a question. Is it worth to pay $30ish dollars for the EP? A new EP will be coming out relatively soon (that’s how EP’s usually go), and I’m wondering if I should splurge and by University…well, please post and let me know!
One last thing: my sims2 account, if you want to see some of my sims, is vivisim4.
Great job on the start of a University Story! :O) I loved it. Hehe. And great with the townies. That’s pretty awesome. I like how you started it with them whining about how unfair it is that they can’t grow up and have families and that sort of thing. Great POV!
Aw, that looks so cool! I want it! Loved your story, it’s nice to see the Townies finally have their day! Do they really take exams in the game or did you just write that in your story? Let me know! Looking forward to next installment, great job! :D
oh man! You took Ricky to University! He’s my favorite townie boy!
Cool story!
I’ve been keeping up with your Sims Blog for a while now because it’s so great!
I was just wondering: What kind of video card/amount of ram you use? I installed UEP and at times it was running slower than molasses, so I’d like an upgrade. Have you had any issues with the expansion with the speed and whatnot?
Sorry to bother you and thanks for the info. =)
Hi Jen!
I can’t get the Uni pack yet, because it hasn’t even been released in Britain (grr!) but you seem to be having fun with it! I like it that Sophie has actually changed out of her tracksuit (even though I’ve never really been a fan of Sophie herself).
The place is milling with townies I never knew existed! I need to play the Sims…again…
Bye!
E-Liz :)
after I install the game for the third time i can’t see meadow in the list of teenagers to sent to college…. noooooooooooooooo also I saw a girl walking by the dorm that looks like her almost 100% but her name is different… weird
Oh, Jen got her university! *throws confettie* Good luck XD
Vivi – Well, the EPs always seem to be a bit expensive compared to what you get for them, but to me, they’re worth it. That’s mainly because I’m a total Sims addict and HAVE to get all of the EPs, no matter what! For the casual Sims player, I’d say you don’t really need the University EP. But it’s up to you to make that call.
Helen – They really do take exams, but it’s just like going to class — they leave the lot and come back two hours later. So you don’t really get to SEE them taking exams. Ah well! :-)
Meghan – Hi and thanks! I have 512 MB of RAM and an ATI Radeon 9800 Pro video card. I’m very happy with this setup, although I usually have to stick to medium settings for my graphics, otherwise it slows way down. I think I blew a fuse in the house the other day when I switched to all high settings…yikes!
Lorna – Aw, I thought you said you sent Meadow to school already?
I’m itching to update this here blog, but I’ve had an extremely busy week, plus I spent something like 12 hours building the new Shanley house, so I barely had time to play. That’s what having too many downloads will do to ya. I do plan on updating when I get home tonight, though, so check back tomorrow!
12 hours? Woot XD It usually takes me 45 min. and I think that’s long! I’m sure you’ll do great with your Shanleys on Uni. I made a Shanley family, too *ish a copycat* but I luff ’em so and they’re also my legacy challenge fam! *scratches head* I’m not sure about the ep…I want it, but 35 simoleons ish kind of high XD Ah, well…Happy Simming!