Hello, and welcome to the longest college chapter in the history of Already in Progress! Of course, the college chapter for Ruth’s (un)Officially Wacky Boolprop Challenge was significantly larger, but you already knew that. And if you didn’t, you should run off and read the whole story right away, even if it doesn’t have very much Sally in it. [/shameless self-promotion] This story has plenty of Sally. As a consequence, I’m having a little trouble figuring out how to bridge the sections of this chapter, so I hope it isn’t too confusing for you. Ready? Then let’s get on with our story, which is Already in Progress…

Amy Grew Up into almost the same ensemble she picked when transitioning to Teen. I wonder if she’s trying to tell me something… I really hope not, since I don’t think this look suits her at all.

Sally Grew Up into a much better outfit. In fact, the only problem that I have with it is that the skirt is quilted. I may not have a very good sense of style, but I’m pretty sure that ruffly top + quilted skirt = fashion fail.

Sally and Amy headed down to Around Again, the only clothing store on campus, to buy new clothes. They were promptly distracted by the thought of a pillow fight. I am so sick of this interaction! I’m seriously considering installing noroadpillows, which is part of the Director’s Cut and which stops Sims autonomously having pillow fights unless 1) they are inside and 2) they are reasonably near a source for pillows.

Once back in the dorm, the girls got distracted from the simple task of changing their clothes. Amy was sidetracked by the stereo, and Sally saw Someone New to Meet. The young lady in question is Allyn Anderson, and I personally think that she looks a bit like Professor Butters, but that could just be me. She’s no relation, at any rate.

Eventually, I got clothing changed and makeovers finished. Sally was thrilled with her new look, which was almost exactly the same as her old look, and Amy found hers mildly amusing. (huffily) Well, pardon me very much, I’m sure. It still looks better than what you picked out. And now that you have the basic background for Freshman year, let’s ask Sally how it’s going.

How’s it going, Sally? SALLY (V.O.): Oh, it’s going great! I’ve been meeting all kinds of great people! That’s good. SALLY (V.O.): Yeah, especially for me because I’m Popularity. Amy’s Pop too, but she really doesn’t seem to be trying too hard. I mean, she spends a lot of time burning Ramen. Really? SALLY (V.O.): Okay, it was only the once. And it didn’t set the smoke detector off or anything. But you think she’d want to meet people. Maybe she was hungry.

SALLY (V.O.): If you’re hungry, you can meet people in the dining hall. That’s where I met Troy. Troy? SALLY (V.O.): Troy Langerak. He hasn’t got a major yet. I don’t think anybody here does. Anyway, he knows a lot of interesting trivia. Did you know that Dolley Madison was several inches taller than James Madison?* She was somewhere in between the same height and a bit taller, yup. *James Madison, President of the United States from 1809-1817. Dolley Madison was his wife. Apparently, reports of his height varied depending on how much the speaker liked him, and she routinely wore very tall hats. Both these things confuse the issue.

SALLY (V.O.): I actually meet a lot of people when I’m dancing, too. Dancing is a popular activity. SALLY (V.O.): It sure is! So that’s Colby with the hair, Jim with the blue shirt, and Lilly. Lilly Hiatt? SALLY (V.O.): Yes. Do you know her? I know of her. We haven’t been introduced. SALLY (V.O.): Oh. Well, I’d introduce you, but we don’t really hang out much. She’s, ah, kind of prickly. But I’m good friends with Colby now.

That’s nice. SALLY (V.O.): Yeah. But he cheats. He cheats? SALLY (V.O.): When we’re playing. Like the other day we were having a pillow fight, and this naked guy comes in and starts doing this dance, and – I get the picture. SALLY (V.O.): Well, while I’m staring at him, Colby up and whacks me in the face with a pillow! See? He cheats!

How about Amy? Is she making any friends? SALLY (V.O.): Yeah, one or two. But you know what’s weird? What? SALLY (V.O.): Even though Amy is Popularity, just like me, she likes to earn skill points and write term papers. (puzzled) It’s almost like she has a secondary of Knowledge. But she can’t. I don’t have Free Time. SALLY (V.O.): I know. That’s what’s weird.

SALLY (V.O.): But she is making friends too. And I particularly approve of one of them. You do? SALLY (V.O.): Uh-huh. Jess McMillan. I think they’d make a really cute couple. That’s for them to decide, isn’t it? SALLY (V.O.) (cheerfully disregarding that comment): I was right about Oliver and Oakapple, wasn’t I?

And because I can’t figure out how to transition, here’s a picture of Sally and Amy having a pillow fight. It’s sort of the break point between Sally telling us about Freshman year and Sally telling us about Sophomore year. I apologize for the awkwardness.

The first thing Amy does after she wakes up every morning is Make Bed. She usually then goes on to use the toilet and take a shower without any direction from me. Occasionally, she’ll get as far as breakfast all on her own.

This is the first thing Sally does every morning: dance to the stereo. If the stereo isn’t on, she’ll turn it on, just so she can dance. She’ll spin into her clothes before class, but is otherwise perfectly happy to walk around in her nightie. And yes, that is still a patch of sky. As it turns out, I can’t place my shiny new custom content ceiling tiles over stairs. I hope you are not too angry with me.

Sally and Amy continue making friends, each in her own way. Amy prefers to chat or play chess with new people; Sally likes to dance. Both Popularity Sims, but quite different in their approach. SALLY (V.O.): If we were all the same, the world would be a very boring place. Hey, can I ask you something? Sure. SALLY (V.O.): Why is there mistletoe hanging in the hallway? I’ve been meaning to ask since we moved in. Oh, that. I’ve heard that if a Sim stands under it, then all kinds of fun romantic complications ensue. I don’t have ACR, and I don’t want it, but I wouldn’t mind if y’all showed a little more autonomy about who you like every once in a while.

SALLY (V.O.): So if I just stand here and look pretty, someone will come over and give me a kiss? That’s the theory, anyway. (crickets chirping) SALLY (V.O.): This is kind of boring. I’ll try again later, okay? Sure. (Despite repeated attempts over the course of Amy and Sally’s college career, using many combinations of variables, standing under the mistletoe never produced any results at all. I left it there anyway, because You Never Know.)

SALLY (V.O.): Ooooh, but I have News! Okay. What is it? SALLY (V.O.): Amy likes Jess! She spends a lot of time talking with him, and he’s the first boy she’s wanted to be friends with. I actually think she was going to say something the other day, but she got distracted. Distracted? SALLY (V.O.): Distracted. Um, is that guy… normal? Most people don’t run around naked, but I think he’s harmless.

SALLY (V.O.): And now Amy’s gone and become Knowledge, I don’t think she’ll ever say anything. (warily) What are you going to do? SALLY (V.O.): Who says I’m going to do anything? It’s true that Amy became Knowledge, briefly, since she was always rolling the Want to do homework or gain a skill point or something. But then she only rolled Knowledge-type Wants and was really quite boring, so I changed her back. I find her much more fun to play when she’s Popularity with a self-assigned secondary of Knowledge. But I did change her hairstyle to something more flattering.

SALLY (V.O.): Oh, it looks a lot better. She got lots of compliments from people who never even talked to her before. Which is why I thought my little plan might work. Wait a minute – what little plan?

SALLY (V.O.): Oh, nothing much. I just talked to Jess is all. Talked to him about what? SALLY (V.O.): Oh, you know. This and that. People who like other people and what the first people might want to do about that. You didn’t.

SALLY (V.O.): I did. And it worked out, too. He kissed her hand and everything. It was really romantic. You need to stop interfering in other people’s relationships. SALLY (V.O.): Nonsense! I like making people happy. How can you give relationship advice when you haven’t been in a relationship yourself?

SALLY (V.O.): But I could be. I could be any time I wanted. Colby’s already told me that he wants to kiss me. And Troy’s said he’s afraid of me dying. Isn’t that sweet? It is. Do you have a preference? SALLY (V.O.): Well, I – OW! What? What happened?

SALLY: Yusun! How dare you hit me like that! But you like pillow fighting! SALLY: Not with cow mascots! In their underwear! Without any warning! That was completely uncalled for! Look, it was supposed to be fun. Take a chill pill, huh? SALLY: Take a chill pill? Why you – you – ! I’m going to report you to the Dean of Students, you see if I don’t!

Did you know that one Sim can invite another to play in the leaves? Neither did I, but they can. (This marks the end of Sophomore Year, by the way.)

Sally! What are you doing? SALLY: Playing in the leaves. Do you need to get your eyes checked again? Yes, but I can’t until my insurance ticks over in January. But that’s not the point! Why aren’t you in class?

SALLY: How am I supposed to go to class when someone’s sitting in my way? You could leave from the other side of the lot. SALLY: But she’s sitting in my way! You could walk around her. Two feet either direction. SALLY: You don’t understand! She’s sitting in my way! If you want me, I’ll be upstairs watching Grilling With Frank. Grilling With Frank? SALLY: It’s the one cooking show where nobody catches on fire.

You were telling me last time about Colby and Troy? SALLY (V.O.): Oh yeah. It was actually kind of awkward for a while there. I mean, no matter where I’d go, they’d sort of both be there. I really didn’t know what to do. What would you say if it was Amy with that problem? SALLY (V.O.): Oh, if it was Amy with that problem, I’d just pick the one I liked better and tell him to go flirt with her. Problem solved. But I came up with something eventually. What was that?

SALLY (V.O.): I asked Colby to go get coffee at Cash & Carrie with me. The grocery store? SALLY (V.O.): Yes, but they’ve got a little coffee bar area. Anyway, we didn’t have anything to talk about. And this girl came over and asked if she would do her homework at our table, and Colby said okay. That’s not good. SALLY (V.O.): No, it isn’t. And Amy’s not having the luck either. How do you mean?

SALLY (V.O.): Yusun tried to hit on Amy today. Who’s Yusun? SALLY (V.O.): The cow mascot. The one that hit me in the face last year. Oh, that Yusun. Okay. So she tried to hit on Amy? SALLY (V.O.): Uh-huh. But Amy wasn’t having any of it. She told Yusun exactly what she could do with her suggestion. Good for her! SALLY (V.O.): Well, it wasn’t a very nice set of instructions. But Amy doesn’t seem to be getting anywhere with Jess and she gets hit on by really pretty skeevy people, so I thought I’d do something nice for her. Uh-oh. What’d you do?

SALLY (V.O.): I Influenced Adam Santander to flirt with her. Was that a good idea? I mean, they aren’t even friends. SALLY (V.O.): But he likes her. I know he does – he told her so. And she doesn’t not like him. He’s blonde! And I know she likes blondes. So how’d it go? SALLY (V.O.): Um…

SALLY (V.O.): Well, I guess they didn’t know each other well enough to hold hands, even if they do like each other. Told you. SALLY (V.O.): And, um, Jess got real mad at Adam. For moving in on the girl he liked? SALLY (V.O.): That’s the weird part. It was almost like Jess was mad at Adam for cheating on him. Except I know for a fact that they’re both straight and have never had a relationship. Never? SALLY (V.O.): Not ever. That is weird.

SALLY (V.O.): Amy was really mad at me, but then she said she’d get over it if she was allowed to Influence someone to have a romantic interaction with me. What did you say? SALLY (V.O.): I said okay. I mean, I’ve messed things up for her twice now trying to be helpful. Fair’s fair. So how did that work out for you?

SALLY (V.O.): Oh, you know. It was okay.

Junior year ended with Amy somehow managing to get stuck inside a chair in someone else’s room. I can’t figure out how she did it. I ended up using “moveobjects on” to get her unstuck.

Hi, Sally. How’s your senior year going? SALLY (V.O.): Pretty good. Things okay with Troy? SALLY (V.O.): Well, they were kind of awkward sometimes. DORMIE IN THE WHITE SHIRT: You’re not hungry, Troy? TROY: (coming out of a daze) Huh? DORMIE IN THE WHITE SHIRT: Hungry. Food. You. Eat? TROY: No, no. I’m okay, thanks. DORMIE IN THE WHITE SHIRT: (shaking her head) Boy’s got it bad.

SALLY (V.O.): So I asked him if he wanted to go get coffee. We went to Cash & Carrie again. You like that place, huh? SALLY (V.O.): Meh, it’s cheap. And there’s nowhere else on campus to get coffee unless you want to go to the gym. Besides, it’s the same place I went with Colby. So how’d it go? SALLY (V.O.): Oh, it was great! We had lots to talk about.

SALLY (V.O.): In fact, we had so much to talk about that we ended up going to Benny’s Seafood to keep on talking. (confidingly) We got hungry, you see. Ah. SALLY (V.O.): But he eats so slowly! He must be as Neat as Oliver, as slowly as he eats. Well, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s nice to have someone around who likes to clean up messes. SALLY (V.O.): Uh-huh. But you want to know the best part? What’s that?

SALLY (V.O.): I think he likes me! SALLY: (gives Troy a bear hug) Oh, Troy! I’m so glad you came out with me! I had a really good time tonight. (lets go of Troy) And I’m sorry I hugged you like that. But I like you a lot, and I hope you like me. TROY: I do. SALLY: And, um, I kind of hope you aren’t gay or anything. Not that there’s anything wrong with that! But… TROY: I am definitely not gay. Why on earth where you worried about that? Didn’t he kiss you already? SALLY (V.O.): Under Influence. And then he didn’t talk to me. And then there’s the whole Adam/Jess thing.

How is that going? SALLY (V.O.): Adam and Jess? I don’t know. They never talked before and they still don’t. But Adam and Amy seem to be making friends. That’s great! Are your studies going okay?

SALLY (V.O.): What studies? Amy and I have had terrible senioritis. In fact, the only thing that can cure it is frequent visits to the pool. Or the bowling alley. Or, you know, anywhere except class. That’s the cure, all right.

SALLY (V.O.): But it’s all good – it’s over! We finished! We’re free! (confidingly) You should have seen us cheering after our last final. What will you do now? SALLY (V.O.): Oh, I don’t know. Amy’s going to go home again, I think, but I kind of want to travel. Maybe take a little time out. Will you miss anyone from school? SALLY (V.O.): Oh, yes! I’ll miss Jim and Colby and Catalina and Allyn and – Troy?

SALLY (V.O.): Him too. But I think that maybe I won’t have to miss him very long. Uh… SALLY (V.O.): But you know who’s really going to miss who? Who?

SALLY (V.O.): I think Amy is really going to miss Adam. (excitedly mock-scandalized) She kissed him goodbye before she called the taxi! She kissed him! All on her own! She must like him, then. SALLY (V.O.): I know! Isn’t it terrific? (horn honks outside) Oh, there’s my cab! I’ll talk to you later, okay? Sure. And Sally? SALLY (V.O.): Yes? Congratulations!

And so Amy and Sally both graduated, transitioning into clothes I would not have picked. Okay, Amy, I get the picture. You are out of your pink fishnet phase and you want a somewhat more conservative look. I’ll take care of it. And Sally… Well, well just have to fix that. Even I know that’s not a good look for anyone. I apologize for the bumpy format this chapter – it was an experiment, and, I think, an unsuccessful one. Next time we will return to our usual format. At that time, we will also stop using the royal “we.” Until next time, Happy Simming!