Sem's Sims: Swap Part 1 Oct/Nov

Sim Swap Part 1 - October / November
You've been watching Patrick grow up Here and Here. I thought you might like to opportunity to see how his young adult life is turning out and have a hand in changing it.

Note: if you want me to upload the rest of the family for you, in the house shown in the post linked above, just ask, but Sarah's baby is in it too, so you'll have to write it as if the baby is with the adoptive family. If you want the girlfriend, or the fireman, I'd have to boolprop move them in, so please let me know in advance if you want them.

*************

Dear family,
Today is my first day of college. It was just moments ago that you drove away. Mom, I sure will miss your cooking and encouragement. Dad, I'll miss your late night talks. Sarah, my baby sister, I'll miss seeing your become a fine woman each day, and all the secrets. And little Billy, well, be good, squirt. Pet Tide for me! Its time to unpack and get settled, see who my dormies will be.

Mom, please have the enclosed film developed and read my letters along with the pictures - I promise, nothing you shouldn't see!

This is the dorms. Luxury Dorms, the brochure said. We'll see. The French doors are a nice touch, I have to admit.

Okay, so luxury turns out to be the right word. Wow, all that football practice really pays off. I get my own room, which is a suite. I have a kitchen, breakfast nook, tv, little sofa, phone, desk, computer, stocked bookshelf - no trips to the campus bookstore for textbooks - and its pretty spacious.

My bedroom is pretty boring, just a bed, but it works, I guess. And my own bathroom too. Nothing special, but its just mine. This scholarship thing is well worth it!

These are the common areas. Kitchen is staffed with a cook, who works most of the day and part of the night. Dining area which doubles as workspace. Bet you wish you had a cook, Mom!

Study area with good lighting. Common bathrooms downstairs.

A relaxation center - which with the half wall seems distracting so close to the study area, but if I need quiet I can go up to my bedroom.

And the best part, an indoor heated pool with dive board and slide! I think I'll stay forever. Do I have to graduate and start my adult life? This place is great. And totally free after my scholarships. Heaven with classwork.

I had to decorate my living quarters. Of course, pictures of football and my signed jersey from last year's team - oh, and that picture that we got when we took Billy to a game for his birthday. And above my computer, a picture of Ella. Ah, Ella. I miss her. But she's the reason I'm here, working so hard to get this scholarship. I was lucky, I know. But I'll get my degree in fire safety and join the fire squad with her, if I don't get drafted to a major league team. I know the chances of that are small, so although I'll focus on sports, I'll keep my mind on my future in fire fighting so I can work with my dear Ella, whom I've loved since the day she put out that kitchen fire for us. I know you still think she's too old for me, but I disagree.

I have been spending a lot of time at the Sports Center, the campus gym. Its free to students. Someone swears this blur on the picture looks like a witch. How ridiculous!

Nothing beats a hot steam after a good workout. Gets all those toxins out.

For pocket money, I've been working as a personal trainer here and there. This is Lila, one of my students. She's very fit, but very lazy. She needs me to be always on her to get moving.

Lila lives in my dorm. She's on the water polo team. I always tease her about how they get the horses to hold their breath for so long. I crack me up! She never seems to laugh, though. Strange girl. That blond guy is Derek. He is on the track team, javelin toss I think, but I seem to remember he does multiple events. Everyone in the house is here on a sports scholarship. We're all a little spoiled, I think, when it comes to that. But we all do laps in the pool and often go jogging together, so I'm making lots of new friends.

Don't worry, Sarah, you're still my number one.

The food here is decent, but I have been doing most of my own cooking in my room as I seem to make better stuff than they provide.

I never knew I could learn so much in college. I study fire fighting and my general coursework (math, Simlish, sociology), but I also learn about anger management,

couples counseling,

and physiology.

And of course I'm staying in shape

Doing it for myself, yes, but also for Ella. I know you will be proud of me, you're my family. But Ella, I have to impress. She's not easily won over.

Oh, check this out. Its a synthesizer. I got it for myself as a way to have fun and unwind between study breaks after the first semester's stipend paid out. I'm no good at it, but its fun.

Speaking of studying, this is how I spend most of my days. I'm not sure who took this picture, but my camera hangs on my cork board, so could be anyone who came into my room.

I had my camera out in the common area and people kept snapping pictures. That's cool, give you a view of my world. I already told you about Derek.

This is Madeline. Its not what you think! She is teaching me to dance as we had a formal coming up. She's here as a classically trained dancer. Ballet mostly, but she can waltz and all sorts of things.

A shot of me cooking. Again, not sure who took that, but my camera is right about there on the cork board, and my door is usually unlocked. I'm getting quite skilled at cooking, just doing it so much. I still burn stuff, but then I get to fight the fire, so I feel like its good practice and never mind.

It is finally winter and snowing! Well, it snowed earlier. I made that snow angel and, Sarah, I thought of you when I made the snowman. Remember when we used to have snowball fights and build snowmen together and you'd always make them evil?

Madeline came out to help.

Maybe it was me who always made them evil...?

I had exams at 3am. Isn't that crazy?

Lila transferred out or dropped our or something. She just left one day and Gretchen moved in to her room. Gretchen is on the soccer team and a year younger than the rest of us. I guess she was just recruited in. She speaks little Simlish. Well, she speaks okay, but you have to use smallish words with her. She's still learning, I guess.

I taught her how to eat properly. She was so stuck up before.

And I was going to teach her how to dance and get down, but she showed me a thing or two. She's lots of fun!

As much time as it looks like I spend goofing off, I really spend the majority of it cleaning and cooking. I don't know how you always did it, Mom and Dad!

My next set of exams were at 1pm. Much better! "Hey, there, evil snowman. Have a good day."

I was chatting with Madeline when Gretchen came down and accused me of cheating on her. I was astounded. My heart belongs to Ella! I never even flirted with Gretchen. She said that we had shared a meal after dark and that meant we were together. I had to tell her that's not how its done here.

Did I mention my dorm is haunted? I thought I saw the ghost of Terrence - Aunt Cass's old high school boyfriend! But he'd be like...what?...60 years old by now? Crazy. He doesn't have a grandson that goes to Hidden U does he?

This is my all time favorite picture on the roll. Its what college life is like - minus the cooking and cleaning and studying - just a bunch of kids sitting around and the mascot being right in the middle of things.