Friday 16 December 2011

Material girl

Round 14: Autumn 2022


Dawn Whitfield is 18 and Shea Harris is 2.
(Finn is 17.)


Narrated by Dawn Whitfield.

I'm starting to see that our first semester was sort of a soft landing into university. The teachers are starting to build up pressure now that we're starting our second semester. It feels like I have even less free time but I still make Shea my main priority. I can always study longer but I'm not willing to lose precious moments with my daughter. I was so afraid of how we'd make it but so far it's been great. I spend the morning with her and then head off to classes when the nanny comes.

I was expecting to get into the teaching kitchen already but it turned out that it's off limits for first year students. Instead we have to pass a few theory classes, mainly cultural anthropology and also some basic art studies.

The lecture hall in our faculty is usually packed full in the afternoon but in the mornings there are plenty of seats available. I guess most students are too hungover to attend classes in the morning. At least according to Zach it sounds like everyone parties every night.

After the classes I usually go to the faculty library and study for a while before going back home. It's a lot easier to concentrate on my assignments and term papers without a 2-year-old tugging my sleeve all the time.

I'm starting my kitchen practise next semester so I went to read the kitchen rules. They're pretty basic for any kitchen and something I already got used to when I was working at mom's restaurant.

I also got a locker for my apron and cooking books. I'm very excited about getting to work in a kitchen and learn to cook all kinds of new dishes.

Shea's usually in a good mood when I go home because she's just woken up from her nap. I try to spend as much time as I can with her in the evenings because I always feel guilty about leaving her home even though I know she'll be alright.

She's pretty good at keeping herself entertained too.

Finn comes over more often now and he's really good with her. It took some time for them to get to know each other but now Shea's always asking for her "dada" when he's not around.

It's so great to hear her giggle when they're playing together.

Finn's been saying all along that he doesn't want to go to college but now he's suddenly had a change of heart. I think mom's been telling him that running a restaurant is much more than just cooking. The whole business aspect is something that would be a lot easier if he had basic knowledge of business stuff. His parents are thrilled that he's applying but we're not sure if it's already too late.

College or not, he's still moving here in a few months. I feel like everyone's warning us that it might not be easy to live together. Well duh. We know that but we're willing to try.

Nanny Isobel has been telling me to go out more and I finally took her advice when Finn asked me out on a date. We haven't been on a real date for ages so it's really nice to get out of the house for a few hours and spend some couples time together.

It was easiest for us to meet halfway so we went to Tom's Diner in Exmoor.

Finn had some interesting news. His parents have been looking into international adoption and they were accepted a few months ago. They just found out that they're getting a child! And not just one child, but they're actually getting two siblings, a boy and girl. Finn says he's ok with it but I think it's a bit of a shock to get a little brother and sister at his age. In my family it's nothing unusual, me and my sisters all have huge age differences.

The food is pretty good for a small diner but I could've been eating a cardboard box and wouldn't have cared.

It was just so great to be with Finn without any distractions.

I would be lying if I said that the future doesn't scare me but I don't want to make myself sick worrying about it. We're happy now and that's the most important thing.

We went to the movies after dinner. It was alright although a guy who sat behind me explained the whole movie to his wife who was sitting right next to him. It's just my luck.

It took us forever to say goodnight but finally we had to go in our own directions.

Notes:
  • Title reference: Material girl by Madonna.
  • I finally had enough time to crank out an update! Hopefully it won't take me as much time to post the next one.
  • Finn keeps rolling that want to go to college so I've decided to let him. I'm pretty sure he qualifies for 3 scholarships so that won't be an issue.

10 comments:

  1. Glad that the young couple had a chance to go out and she is amazing to be juggling school and being a single mother. She doesn't work does she? How does she get money for school again?

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  2. I can't wait for Finn to move in with Shea and Dawn. I hope it doesn't case too much conflict though. It was nice that she was able to get out and have fun. So lucky to have a nanny too.

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  3. Apple Valley, Dawn is pretty amazing, isn't she?! :)

    She doesn't work, none of my students have jobs at the moment but I've been thinking about trying that with someone. Dawn's parents pay her tuitions and she pays her living costs on her student grants.

    Thanks for reading. :)

    Choco, I can't wait either. It's going to be a huge change in their lives to be living together so I hope everything goes well.

    Dawn's parents pay her tuitions so she's able to hire the nanny with her own money. She can't afford to go out very often though, usually just for classes and exams.

    Thanks for reading. :)

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  4. Good to see that Dawn and Finn got to have some couple time! It's definitely important for them to take time out for themselves, as well as focusing on Shea.

    I loved the parts where we got to see Dawn in class as well. Culinary will probably be the faculty I build once I'm done with drama (which I haven't actually started!), so I'm taking notes, lol! Everything looks great.

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  5. Carla, I thought it was about time to send these two out on a date. I don't even remember the last time they went out together!

    I built a totally new faculty of arts and have a teaching kitchen there which you'll see in Dawn's future updates. It's not finished yet because I've only done the lecture hall, the library and the kitchen but I'll post a tour once it's done.

    Thanks for reading. :)

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  6. Dawn and Finn seem to be pretty strong. It's good they got some alone time. That's important for young parents, especially when they became parents at 16!

    When I read about your and Carla's faculties I always realize I still have so much work on mine, and I really should start working on it again!

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  7. Hopefully Finn moving in it will free up some of Dawn's time and allow her to enjoy herself more often. It has to be hard to be young and juggling school and a baby. I'm sure she is grateful that her parents can help her with tuition.

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  8. Tanja, they do seem like a strong couple. It'll be interesting to see how it's going to be when they live together.

    I have to do so much work on my faculties too. I built this new Faculty of Arts for this update and now I realize I want to change it completely. Why is it so hard to make up my mind, lol?!

    Thanks for reading. :)

    oasisvalley, I'm sure Dawn will have more time for herself when Finn moves in. He's already helping out as much as he can.

    Most of my sims are lucky in the way that their parents pay their college tuitions. Dawn's parents are also paying Zach's education although I think if he ends up going to medical school then he'll have to pay for that himself.

    Thanks for reading. :)

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  9. I'm glad Dawn is doing well with Shea tagging along, and I'm glad she can get out of the house occasionally. Trying to get anything done besides entertaining a two-year-old while they're around is difficult. I hope she and Finn can work out a schedule that works for the both of them, especially since he seems to want to get educated now.

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  10. Fini, I'm so proud of Dawn for doing so well. It's not easy trying to study with a 2-year-old in tow, with toddlers you need to have eyes on your back!

    I'm hoping that Dawn and Finn's classes won't overlap so that one of them can stay home with Shea while the other goes to classes. I still need to check if he meets the requirements for a college entry though.

    Thanks for reading. :)

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