Round 26: Autumn 2024
Narrated by Nick Moretti
The dorm was getting too crowded and Maia and I didn't want to move to yet another dorm, so instead, we thought we'd give private housing a shot. The house is tiny but it's big enough for us.
Maia should have graduated by now but she was put on academic probation after flunking her last semester, so she's still here on campus.
Narrated by Nick MorettiThe dorm was getting too crowded and Maia and I didn't want to move to yet another dorm, so instead, we thought we'd give private housing a shot. The house is tiny but it's big enough for us.Maia should have graduated by now but she was put on academic probation after flunking her last semester, so she's still here on campus.
I've been trying to keep her completely focused on her classes but we did head back to Sullivan recently to visit my grandpa. My grandpa met Maia when I visited my dad one time last year and he kept asking about her, so I brought her to see him.
Grandpa took a real shine to Maia and Maia likes him a lot too. Maia never really knew her own grandfather very well, so I guess he's kind of been like a surrogate for her.
You couldn't ask for a better one either. He's getting to an age where I'm starting to worry about his health. I'm going to be a mess when he finally goes.
I kind of feel like Maia has just given up on university. She's got zero motivation, no matter what I try to do or say.
We live right near the new library, so it's so easy to just drop in and get some books or use one of the computers.
Maia usually comes with me when I go to the library but when I finish my work and go to find her, she's never studying. She's either wandering around the shelves aimlessly.
Or she's chatting to friends outside.
Maybe I'm a glutton for punishment and should just give up on trying to help Maia pass. I've been trying to tutor Troy and it's not going so well either.
Maybe you just can't force someone to learn if they don't want to. But I'd feel so guilty if Maia failed and I hadn't even tried to help her.
She never does any work at home either. Even if I sit down to do my own work, so she hasn't got me to talk to, Maia just heads for the TV instead.
I usually end up studying with Calvin instead.
The whole academic probation thing has really put a strain on us.
She feels like I'm nagging her and I feel like she's not trying. I'm trying to help her and she won't let me. 
She just doesn't understand why I care about it more than she does. I care about it because I care about her and I don't want her stuck in a crappy job because she didn't finish her degree.
That's usually followed by Maia storming out to sulk for a while.
It's not like we argue all the time. We still have a good time together.
And when we do argue, we don't stay angry. By bedtime, Maia's cuddling up to me like it never happened.
But the next day, we start all over again. It's getting harder to deal with, because we're starting to fight about other stuff, besides studying. I'm starting to think that maybe we're heading in different directions.
I think maybe I've known for a while and I didn't really want to admit it. She was my first kiss when I was 12 and then I had a major crush on her for a long time.
It's hard to accept that she might not be the person I'm supposed to be with forever but it's becoming more and more obvious that she's not. I want a family one day and that's not something Maia ever talks about it. It's a "distant future" kind of thing for her and I think it might be too distant for me.
So we sat down and had "the talk" and we decided to end it. I think we both knew it was time. I brought up the topic but I think you could safely say it was a mutual decision.
It was pretty close to finals when we broke up, so we decided to keep living together and deal with whatever awkwardness popped up. It was a little weird but I think we might actually be able to still be friends. It still hasn't been that long, so things could change but it would suck if we lost our friendship over this, so I hope not.
I could see it coming but I was still disappointed when Maia flunked again and the university expelled her. I was there to see her off in the taxi. The school really didn't give her much time to leave campus, so we had to pack up all of her things fast.
I'm still finishing up my senior year, so I'm living on my own in the house now. I've called Maia a couple of times, just to see how she's going. She's a little bummed (I'm still bummed for her) but I think she's coping okay so far.Notes:
- Title is from 77 Satellites by Jimmy Eat World.
- When I first got Nick and Maia together, I had planned to break them up at about this time. They kind of grew on me after a while, being so adorable and all, and I decided I'd try to keep them together instead. But they seemed to be arguing a lot this round and from that, I just started thinking that Nick and Maia wouldn't really work in the long run. I think Nick, being very smart and very nice, is the type to really try to get Maia to succeed but Maia, being fairly unmotivated from way back, isn't really the type to take that direction well. I think they could still forge a good friendship, so it was an amicable break-up. I was still really sad to break them up though!
- Filippo and Maia have had the unlocked wants to become friends with each other since they met at Caleb's house this round, so I decided to fulfill that. It's pretty adorable how Sims roll up the want to be friends with their relatives' partners and I can't help but indulge them.
- Grades, if you're interested. Maia got a D on her final exam, making her final GPA 2.8 and leading to her expulsion from Suffolk University. On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have Nick, who graduated with a 4.0 GPA. I'll do a proper thing for Nick in Summer 2025 birthdays. I probably won't put Maia in the winter birthdays. It'd just be her and I'll be playing her for real in the winter anyway, so it seems a bit pointless. Her profile is all updated already though, so you can check it out now.
Wow, you wrote about the tension bewteen the couple very well. It makes sense that they were not going to make it through. Differences in ambition is a big deal.
ReplyDeleteOh, how sad :( They seemed to take it very well though, and I agree, it probably wouldn't have worked out.
ReplyDeleteApple Valley, thanks! I think Nick and Maia will be better off as friends - the differing ambitions are not going to cause nearly as much of an issue then.
ReplyDeleteTessa, I was sad too, because I did really like them together. :( But I think they were sort of doomed and it's better to break it off now while they're still young. I'm sure there are better matches around the corner for each of them. ;)
Oh, I think it's sad, Maia failing college and them breaking up. But if they are this different on such an important thing in life, I have to agree it might have never worker out, I'm glad they are still friends though. I'm sure they will find some one to be happy with.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad Nick is doing so well in college. Maia was kind of heading this direction since she was put on academic probation, but I was still hoping she would start studying!
It's sad that they broke up but I think it was the right decision. You lead the story very well so that it made complete sense to break them up in the end.
ReplyDeleteToo bad for Maia for flunking out. She might regret it later when she's got some crappy job and doesn't make much money (which I can totally relate to LOL).
Awwww how sad! But sometimes people just grow apart and it was best for them to end it now rather than getting married, having kids, and it ending in divorce. Nick And Maia are both great people, I'm sure they'll meet who they are suppose to be with :)
ReplyDeleteI had a feeling we were heading towards this. I think it would drive Nick bonkers to be with someone who didn't have motivation and goals. To be so close to graduating, and then throwing it away? Crazy.
ReplyDeleteI wonder who Maia will end up with in the end, and Nick too.
Tanja, yeah, there was a bit of sadness in this update. :( I hope he can actually manage to stay friends with Maia. The most he managed was Josie was to be civil, but he rolled up a want to talk to Maia not long after she left (she actually moved out, and THEN they broke up), which was cute.
ReplyDeleteI was hoping she'd start studying too; I really wanted her to finish. It was so tempting to just have her go out to the telescope and earn one logic point, then she would have just passed. She needed about 4 to fully fill the meter.
Sari, thanks, I'm glad the break-up seemed natural. It's hard to tell when I'm writing the updates sometimes, even though it seemed to make perfect sense to me from a game play point of view.
Maia has no clue what she wants to do with her life, so she may be job hopping for a while. A degree would have opened up a lot more options for her, for sure.
Mizzgin03, that's exactly it! They're still young, there's no marriage to dissolve and no kids involved. It's a fairly clean break and one that will hopefully remain amicable.
Maisie, I'm glad you said that, because I was kind of afraid it would seem like the break-up came out of nowhere. It kind of did - I decided to break them up a few minutes into playing them this session - but I'm happy to read it all fit together anyway.
I'm still bummed about Maia flunking out. She's my first female to flunk out, and the first non-drama major, if I'm not mistaken.
Time will tell who each of them end up with!
Gosh, I understand your pain at letting Maia fail. In my legacy, I had to watch one of my favorite sims' fiancée cheat on him and fail herself out of college, and it was so difficult not to let her do what she wanted. You wrote the update very well though. Actually, I was kind of surprised that she made it that far into college, cause she didn't seem that motivated as a teen to go. :]
ReplyDelete"Time will tell who each of them end up with!"
ReplyDeletemmhmm... though I'm sure you have ideas. :p You're already pairing up the twins. lol
Christina, I think some of my Sims would be happier faster if they'd just do what I wanted them to. I know best. But you know, they roll up these silly wants and I let them follow them. It's their own fault, really. ;)
ReplyDeleteMost of my Sims who flunked out of college have flunked out in the very last semester, actually! But Maia never was that motivated to go and she only really went because Jacob was going. That worked out well for her, didn't it?
Maisie, oh, you know me too well! Yes, I have ideas. The ideas I have for Nick and Maia are a little more concrete than my matching up Lia and Ione's twins though, lol!
That all remains to be seen though I've already compared their personalities and they're quite similar, apart from Lia's girls being more outgoing than Ione's boys. Annabel has NINE outgoing points. I think she may have been switched at birth!
OMG (and I never say that, lol!) I can't believe Nick and Maia broke up. You wrote it well, but I just thought they would be together.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly makes it more interesting to let them follow those "silly" wants, and you blog in such detail that it is fun seeing them develop.
I'm sorry I've fallen behind with reading your blog, but happily I do have a full time job now that is a lot of responsibility, especially while I'm learning and getting to know my caseload, I just don't have time for simming. I've run out of pre-written posts, too.
Little Nicky, grown up...*smiles*
ReplyDeleteI'm not surprised he and Maia broke up. I think Nick can do better. I'm interested in seeing Maia's story and how her life is going to play out now that she's given up on college.
I'm playing Uni right now for the first time in almost 4 years!
And I'm trying so hard to go by my Sims' Wants. It's tough to see Rashid and Elmer not want to do ANYTHING college-related, while I just sit there and do nothing about it. LOL!
Do you strictly go by their wants all the time? And if they don't want to study or anything college-related, then so be it?
Francesca, I thought Nick and Maia would stay together too, I really did. If they were a RL couple though, I don't think they would have worked out.
ReplyDeleteIf I had my Sims do what I wanted them to do all the time, Sullivan would be pretty boring. My natural inclination is to let everyone graduate, move back in with their parents after college, get married to the first person they fall in love with and have lots of babies. I'm glad not all my Sims follow that path any more.
And don't worry about falling behind! I'm very happy for you that you've got a full time job now and that's what's keeping you busy. You were hardly "behind" anyway; you commented on the last post and I've only put this one up since then! LOL.
Simmington, I know, they grow up so fast!
It's funny how some are surprised Nick and Maia broke up and some aren't! You guys who aren't are more astute about my Sims than I am! LOL.
I'm not sure what's in store for Maia now. I have her in Show Business right now but that's temporary. She was a Drama major but I don't think show biz really suits her.
It's hard to go by your Sims' wants sometimes but I do follow them most of the time. One set of wants that I usually ignore is the skip class want. They automatically go to class, so I just let them. If they've got a full grade meter or they have the want to do a term paper anyway, I'll sometimes let them skip.
I sometimes use little workarounds though. Last time I played, Troy had the want to play chess (he's a Games Sim) and Aaron needed a logic point, which he hadn't rolled the want to study. So I had Troy invite him to play. Also, if they've got the want to study a skill point but don't need one that semester, I sometimes check Snooty Sims to see what points they'll need further down the track. I have a Sim in my dorm right now who is almost guaranteed to graduate with a 4.0 because they already have all the skills they need, right up until graduation.
But if all of that doesn't happen to fall into place, if they never choose to autonomously skill or roll up wants to skill or do work, then they fail. That's what happened with Maia. I don't recall her rolling up the want for a skill at all during university.
Hey Carla,
ReplyDeleteyeah, if I did what I wanted all my Sims would be pretty much the same. I try to balance what they want with what I think their personality and values would want down the road, along with their ability/inability to delay gratification. I'm thinking I should have made Roxie study--she's always been a good student--instead of letting her fail out of college. She might have studied even if she didn't want to, you know? But at least it is a turn I hadn't anticipated, so now the fun of uncharted territory.
But for Maia, this seems to fit so well.
I like to hear how others 'read' their Sims. It's inspiring.
ReplyDeleteFrancesca, what happened to Roxy happens in real life...like to me. *smiles* Good student all through school, went to college and found a boy...I didn't flunk out, but I damn near did. Ended up dropping out to get married...:P
Carla, I am curious, though...did Maia ever roll a Fear of Getting on Academic Probation?
I ask this because after going back into the game last night, Elmer and Rashid both rolled that fear.
Elmer's rolled away..maybe he doesn't care THAT much. But, Rashid's is constantly there now. (He must be really afraid of his momma.) LOL!
But, I figure he may not WANT to study/go to class, but he doesn't want to get expelled, either! So, I'm letting both of them go to class autonomously. But I'm not letting them do anything else until they roll a Want for it.
Francesca, oh, but there are so many women who've been in Roxie's situation! They're studious, they're at university but they get pregnant and their priorities change. So even for a Knowledge Sim, it doesn't seem out of the realm of possibility.
ReplyDeleteIf I had a Knowledge Sim stop rolling academic wants (it hasn't happened) for no particular reason, that might be a situation where I would consider ignoring wants. If the wants don't make sense to me or if I can't make them make sense, I sometimes go with my gut instead. Like last time I played Finn and Victoria, they woohooed in a photo booth and then rolled up the want to woohoo with 3 different Sims in public. Well, I'm not going to bother achieving that one or writing it in because it is completely out of character for both of them. It's times like those when I remember they're just bits of code and pixels on a screen!
For Maia, flunking out did fit what we know of her so far and it makes some sort of sense for Roxie too.
Simmington, I love talking about this sort of thing too - I'll go all day if you don't stop me!
You know, I don't think Maia ever did roll a fear of academic probation. She definitely didn't have the fear when she was placed on probation, because there was no change in her aspiration or anything. She just really never cared much.
But that reminds me of something else I'll do. If the Sim has no want to study but has the want to get on the Dean's List, I'll take steps to make that happen. Or if they have the want to complete their [whatever] year, I'll do the bare minimum required for them to do that. Ditto if they have the academic probation fear. But you know...some Sims don't care at all! Currently, I have Matilda at uni, who doesn't care at all. But she's so smart (highly skilled) that she's going to just breeze through anyway.
Awww! I'm actually sad to see these two break up, but it does make sense. And it's kinda lucky that Maia flunked out because living with your ex can't be easy!
ReplyDeleteLunar, I'm still sad about breaking up Nick and Maia, especially when I ducked into Nick's house last night and saw he'd rolled up the want to "Fall in Love". Stop breaking my heart, Nick! LOL.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, very true! Game play wise, I didn't actually break them up until after she'd flunked out (I kept delaying it, because I didn't want to do it!) but man, if this was real life...AWKWARD!
Awww, I wasn't expecting that :(
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame she didn't have the drive to finish too. But that's happened with mine before. Not everybody's cut out for it. I look forward to seeing what she plans to do with her life.
And now you've got me eager to see who's waiting around the corner ;)
And OMG, are you already pairing up the twins? LOL!
Laura, poor Maia, I have no idea what's going to happen with her. I should make her go and see a careers counsellor!
ReplyDeleteI'm not seriously pairing up the twins...yet! But it's crossed my mind. It'll be funny if it actually works out that way! I've had twins marry twins before, way back in Gen 1: Petra and Isaac and Nathalie and Elias.
I definitely have plans for Nick and Maia on the romantic front though. I want to say more but I'm going to save it!
Aww!! Stop breaking Nick's heart! lol. Yea it's hard when you're with someone who doesn't have the same drive or passion as you. Been there/done that!
ReplyDeleteMy Paul would have definitely gotten expelled if he didn't have the fear of going on acadmic probation. You know what his main priorities were and it definitely wasn't learning.
That is too funny about pairing the twins up with each other. Arranged marriages in Sullivan? j/k ;)
Danielle, LOL, I guess, in a way, all of these marriages are arranged! I wouldn't force the twins into a relationship if they aren't compatible but it would be cute!
ReplyDeleteI think Nick probably had his heart broken more by Josie, even though he loved Maia more. Josie dumping him completely blindsided him and he was only 15 to boot. He's a little older and wiser now and he knew he and Maia weren't right together. But he's so sweet and he makes it hard not to feel sorry for him!