Bachelor's Degree (Completed)

[RaiaDraconis]

Ooh, Michael, have fun, but don't over-do it!

This is a fun read so far! This new expansion looks like a ton of fun to play!

[Magz from Oz]

Haha that what uni was like for me.  Balancing what to tell the folks and how to cope with others on campus who don't have your study ethics.  Good luck Michael, I think you're going to need it.

[karlissa]

I hope he finds a nice person to fall in love with.

[cathyknits]

I like this! I don't have University yet, so it's nice to get to live it vicariously...

[MarianT]

E-MAIL

From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]

Hi, Michael,
How’s college? Are there any zombies at uni? How are your classes going? Not much happening here – the Llamas have lost the last three games. They’ll probably be happy when you can join the team. Look forward to hearing from you. River

Michael hit the "reply" button and began typing.

Hi, River,
Yeah, we have zombies here. I saw one in front of the coffeehouse.



I had been inside, studying for the exams I would have the next day.



We also have werewolves (one lives in my frat house), fairies (I played ping-pong with one, but she didn’t have any wings), and probably vampires and witches. I haven’t seen a plantsim yet.

I’ve been taking A Short Course in Traveling and Principles of Cricket 202. Besides going to class, we also do some work with skeletons on Tuesday, and have a lecture on Thursday. Lectures are the worst. The only way to stay awake is by taking notes.



Or you can score brownie points with the professor by asking a question – so long as it’s an intelligent question. They don’t like it when you ask if what they’re telling you will be on the exam.



They also don’t like it if you fall asleep while they’re answering your question.



I’m looking forward to coming home. I really miss Mom’s cooking. In fact, don’t laugh – I’m actually a better cook than the other guys in the house, but they still try to make stuff. And then they don’t wash up afterwards, but just leave the horrifying mess on the table.



I’m looking forward to doing some laundry, too.



Sorry to hear about the Llamas. Maybe they do need me, haha.

See you soon, Michael.

   Michael hit “send” and shut down the computer. Even to River he couldn’t confide his fear that he’d flunked one of his classes. He’d aced his Traveling exam – it was all about how to pack a suitcase, and what you couldn’t take through security at the airport. But Principles of Cricket had been a bear – “Compare and contrast the muscles used by a slow bowler as opposed to the ones used by a fast bowler. Which style of bowling is more likely to produce health problems in later life?” Well, Michael was pretty sure the answer to that was “fast,” but given the vast space allotted for his answer, he guessed the professor had wanted more. If he flunked Cricket, then he would get only 6 credits, which meant he’d have to take two more terms of 12 credits each. And he’d already been planning to take only 6 credits next term, so he wouldn’t have such a heavy load. Suddenly joining the Llamas right away looked like a really good idea.

[Tilia]

Nooo, don't give up and take the easy job!  You'll regret it foreeeever.

[ilovebakedgoods]

I love this! I think the part that made me giggle the most was at the start, where he gripes at the Watcher for photographing him in his pajamas, hehe!!!

Love the title!

[Magz from Oz]

I love this update.  Cricket! Yeah!!! My guys would so ace that one!!!  Does the watcher have to answer the questions?  I've so got to get me this EP!

[MarianT]

The Watcher made up the questions and is very glad not to have to answer them. Everything I know about cricket comes from reading British (and Australian) mystery novels and watching Masterpiece Theatre.

[MarianT]

HOME FOR BREAK

   The first thing Michael did when he got home was to call River McIrish. “Would you like to go see a movie?” he asked. “They’re showing Psycho Podiatrist.”

   “Sure,” said River. “I’ll meet you there.”



   Sitting through the previews and ads for popcorn, Michael found himself confiding his woes to River. “If I can only handle six credits a term, it’ll take me forever to finish my degree. Maybe I’d be better off joining the Llamas now. After all, it’s not like I’m studying to become a doctor or anything where you really need a degree.”

   “Don’t you dare drop out,” River hissed. “Don’t you realize what a wonderful opportunity you have? I’d do anything to be able to go to college. And your parents would be so disappointed. And if you do become a sports star, think of the message you’d be sending to young athletes – that getting an education doesn’t matter. Even if you only get credit for that Traveling course, you’re still halfway through. Hang in there.”

   The movie started before Michael could respond. That was probably just as well because he really didn’t know what to say. River was right. She was right about everything, but he couldn’t think of a way to agree with her without sounding…wimpy. In the middle of the scene where the podiatrist was stalking the heroine in a darkened shoe store, Michael had a brainstorm. He couldn’t wait for the movie to finish so he could talk to River.

   “Why don’t you come back to college with me?” Michael said.

   “But how can I do that?” asked River.

   “Move in with my family, and we can enroll together.”

   “Um – are you saying we should live together?”

   “No,” said Michael. “I mean, we’ll be in the same dorm, that’s all. You can camp out in Bella’s room until we leave.”

   “That’s a great idea,” said River. She didn’t sound as excited as Michael had thought she would, but they arrived at the house before he could ask her if something was wrong.

   He noticed that the mail had arrived and immediately checked the box. His grades were there, and he was almost afraid to open the envelope. To his relief, he’d received credit for both classes. He had a C average now, but at least he had passed.



   River and Bella disappeared upstairs, and after a lot of whispering and giggling, River came back down. “Do you think I’ll pass as a college student?” she asked.



   “Very stylish,” said Michael. And hot, he thought, but he didn’t want to embarrass River by saying so. He couldn’t forget the quiver that had been in her voice when she’d asked if coming to college with him meant that they’d be living together.

   The next morning, his mother reminded him that he still had to go through his high school graduation ceremony. Michael had forgotten about it, but he went with good grace. To his surprise, he was named valedictorian. It was less of a surprise that he was also named Most Likely to Become a Sports Star.

   The biggest surprise he experienced, though, was seeing River in her formal dress. With its floaty material and the sparkly mask she was wearing, she looked more elfin than any of the real fairies he’d met on campus. “Nice dress,” he said.



   When they got home, River changed into her everyday clothes and began taking the aptitude test. She could get 6 credits toward a degree in Fine Arts or one in Science and Medicine. Her lifetime wish was to become a Master of the Arts, so she chose the former.



   Michael was talking to his mother about the herbs he’d bought for her to plant (“You could make a fortune with these, Mom,” he said), when he noticed that Bella was fiddling with the computer.



   “Do you want to give someone a fright by making that awful face appear?” he shouted. “What if Mom had a heart attack? How would you feel then?”



   Bella flounced away, but she came back outside with the rest of the family to see him and River off.



       “Excited?” he asked River. “Terrified,” she responded.

 

[Swirl-Girl]

Hehe!
I like this a lot, great pun, I wonder how it's gonna work out for river?

[RaiaDraconis]

Ooh, this might be interesting. Why do I get the feeling that this isn't going to be what Michael expects?

[RainBeau]

Yay! I am shipping Michael and River now. This is such a fun way to read about University Life!

[MrComfortAddict]

Loving the story. Not only is it an interesting way to write it, but it also is a sort of promotion for the latest expansion pack.

I want it now!

[MarianT]

RIVER BLOSSOMS

   Michael was a little surprised at the speed with which River adapted to college life. While she wasn’t shy, she did tend to be rather quiet, and he’d expected that she’d want to tag along with him everywhere. It came as a shock one morning when he returned from his 8 o’clock class and found that she had been ranting in the kitchen.



   “River was right,” one of the dormies was saying to another. “Psycho Podiatrist is incredibly derivative. It’s basically a remake of The Crazy Chiropractor.”

   “Um, where is River?” Michael asked.

   “Class,” said one.

   “No, out back,” said the other. “Practicing for when she can start tagging.”

   Tagging? Michael could remember playing tag with River when they were kids, but he didn’t think that was what had been meant.



   “River!” he exclaimed. “You’re defacing public property. Don’t you know you could be arrested?”

   “Not as long as I stay by the dorm,” she said. “And I was practicing street art, not ‘defacing public property.’”



   “I’d have thought that a neatnik like you would be the last person to – um – practice street art,” said Michael.

   “Well, I have to do something to raise my standing with the Rebels if I want to become an Art Appraiser,” said River. “And I’m enough of a neatnik not to want to do any dumpster diving.” She looked at her watch. “Gotta go – I’m giving a lecture on the Hexo-Cubist movement for extra credit.”

   “Ping-pong later?” called Michael.

   “Yeah.”

   Michael went up to his room in a daze, and then remembered he’d been invited to a party at Patty Hong’s. This time he’d made sure he knew the address before leaving. Uni wasn’t like Sunset Valley where people put up big purple signs to let everyone know they were having a party.

   The next day Michael noticed River talking to Anoki Moon as he was leaving for his class activity at the stadium. He almost called out to remind her that she had class, too, but she didn’t look as if she’d want her conversation interrupted.



   All the time he was working with his skeleton, Michael kept thinking about River and Anoki. He was friends with Anoki – they were both Jocks – but that didn’t blind him to the fact that Anoki was something of a ladies’ man. Should he warn River? Or would she tell him to mind his own business?



   He decided to bring up the subject while they were playing ping-pong. “You do know that half the girls on campus think they’re in love with Anoki? Everyone says he’s irresistible.”

   River returned his serve with a wicked slice. “I’m not in love with him,” she said. “I just want to become friends so I can sketch him. He’s got incredible cheekbones.”



   Michael surreptitiously felt his own face. He had cheekbones too, but he was pretty sure they weren’t incredible. A few minutes later, a good comeback came to him – “So does my skeleton.” That was what he should have said, but of course he’d missed the opportunity.

   Michael was so flustered that he almost lost the game, but to his relief, he managed to win by one point.



   River waited for him to finish his victory dance. “Are you going to do that every time you beat me at ping-pong?” she asked crossly.
 
   “Would you rather I did the school cheer?” Michael asked.

   River rolled her eyes and went inside.