I miss those days of living in college dorms and housing and getting to know your dormmates, roommates, and housemates. If you feel the same nostalgia as I do for living in university housing, then you may be interested in checking out The Sims university expansion pack. Pack your bags: time to leave for Sims university and live on campus!
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How to attend Sims university
The Sims 4: Discover University Expansion Pack was released on November 15, 2019, for PC/Mac and December 17, 2019, for Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
In this expansion pack, players are able to attend the University of Britechester or the Foxbury Institute in the new residential world of Britechester.
As expected, while attending Sims university, you are going to attend classes, study, work on presentations, and submit term papers.
Sims can also sit in on lectures, tutor, and sit in on a skills class.
There’s so much to do at university but we all know what we love the most is interacting with other students who live in the dorms and the university houses!
Where the dorms are located in Britechester
This Sims university residential world is designed like a classic college town.
The University of Britechester and Foxbury Institute are situated across from each other on the map.
In between the two universities are the town’s library and local pub. Both serve as common hangout spots for students of both universities.
Although, I personally wouldn’t leave Britechesters campus for a library if my student lounge or commons has books and computers I can use.
To each their own, though.
The process of living in university housing
Your Sim has the option to live on or off-campus, but we’re going to be fun here and just discuss the experience of living on campus.
They will be required to pay for the housing: they can pay using their household funds or they can take out a loan that they eventually have to repay.
Your Sim can always try to successfully apply for a scholarship before getting admitted into the university so they can save money each semester!
Head to any nearby computer and select the University prompt. Review the scholarship information packet to see the types of scholarship opportunities available for your Sim.
Then ask your guidance counselor for advice before applying for some sound knowledge!
Take these steps before applying for the scholarship because once you apply, if you aren’t successful, you’ll have to apply for a different one.
Unfortunately, you can’t apply for the same scholarship!
So make sure you get all the information you need and get to the skill level required if it’s skill-based to obtain the scholarship you’re applying for.
Dorm room and student housing set up
Each university has two dorm halls and one student house, so your Sim has options!
Foxbury’s dorms are Tidal Tower and Briny Tower and both dorms have four bedrooms and eight beds.
Just a heads up: Tidal Tower has a single bedroom for the introverted Sims out there! Claim that bed and if it’s taken, claim it anyway!
What are they going to do, fight you? I don’t think so! If they do…find your R.A. and file a complaint!
Foxbury’s student house, Maritime Manor, has three bedrooms and four beds.
Two of those bedrooms are singles and whoever gets the second-floor bedroom is lucky: they have a rather large room with a double bed!
If your Sim is willing to pay the higher tuition to live in the student houses, it should be this one!
Snag one of those singles. Unless you enjoy the company of a roommate, then carry on!
University of Britechester’s dorms are Drake hall and Wyvern Hall and both have 5 bedrooms and 10 beds. All rooms in Drake Hall are doubles while Wyvern Hall has two rooms that are singles.
Their student house, Darkwing House, has two bedrooms and four beds: all rooms are doubles.
There are no dining halls attached to any of the dorms, so your Sims will have to go to their commons to get some grub.
Or they can order pizza delivery, but that wouldn’t be good to indulge in every day – plus, there are only fridges in the student houses not in the dorms…
Foxbury commons is Larry’s Lagoon and the University of Britechester’s is Darby’s Den. Just like the dorms, each of the commons has its own style and structure.
Larry’s Lagoon is more modern in appearance while Darby’s Den is elegant and aged.
The best of both worlds
If you’re a fan of the Dark Academia aesthetic, you’re probably going to love the University of Britechester’s housing.
It has that classic and historical atmosphere and aged furniture and wallpaper to go along with it:
I’m personally a fan of Foxbury’s contemporary design, but I’m also biased because both universities I attended were modern in appearance.
The first and last old dorm building I lived in for a year still haunts me.
Of course, because Sims is so customizable, you can edit the buildings from the Manage Worlds map and add even more flair to the housing if you want!
Larry’s Lagoon is now mostly blue and more retro in appearance in my game.
The second floor also has two new separate study rooms.
So feel free to change the buildings up!
You can’t purchase anything for the dorms or make any build changes once in Play Mode because it’ll officially be university property.
Make sure to do your changes in Build Mode before you shift to Play Mode.
However, you could always use the cheat code: bb.enablefreebuild.
Interactions with other Sims at university
Your Sim can see their professors on campus and ask them questions about homework and inquire about their progress in class.
Your dormmates can lock themselves out and call you for your help! How realistic is that: because that has happened to most of us at least once!
One type of interaction that is pretty hilarious is when your Sim leaves the dorms, your dormmates can invite themselves to your outing and ask what you’re planning to do.
Sims are expected to complete projects and presentations anywhere on campus, so they are able to ask other Sims for some honest feedback!
If your Sim wants to help their roommate with their homework, they have an action prompt to do that too.
There are school events that happen on campus at Sims 4 university like study cram sessions at the student commons before Finals that will have your Sim feeling like they’re part of a study group.
School Spirit will give your Sim the opportunity to cheer and take photos with their university mascot.
If your Sim is studying robotics, a robotics competition takes place on campus too!
How does this compare to The Sims 3: University Life?
There are just a few minor differences between the two university games.
I personally want just a little more mirroring of the university housing experience that Sims 3 accomplishes.
One of the most lasting impressions of college is having a welcoming group guide you to your dorm building.
Unfortunately, in Sims 4 University, your Sim doesn’t get the orientation that The Sims 3: University Life grants them.
Orientation is such a fun and exciting event and Sims 3 captures the atmosphere so well!
Another Sims player wholeheartedly agrees with me on this. It’s like taking you back in time!
College orientations usually make the top of the list of experiences that graduates miss the most.
So I believe Sims 4 university misses a good opportunity to tug at our heartstrings with memorable events like this!
Players also don’t have the option to join their Sims in some of their classes to watch them actively participate – or not – as they could in The Sims 3.
In my opinion, even minor details like these really add to authentically resembling the university experience.
It is actually very entertaining to join your Sims in class and to be able to see your Sims participating or slacking off.
Instead, players get to be passively involved by selecting whether they take notes, listen, socialize, or nap.
That passivity doesn’t add much to the gameplay.
Even if players only join their Sims in one or two classes, it will be that much more engaging.
I also miss the cozy coffee shop on campus that Sims 3 had!
The Sims 4 commons with a dining area is a sufficient addition to the game and a coffee kiosk is located near the university building, but we all know, love, and want an actual coffee shop on campus.
Last Thoughts
Despite the differences, The Sims 4: Discover University excels in improved graphics, just as most of us come to expect.
The campus in Sims 3 is visually appealing itself, but Sims 4 University really hones in on beautifully designed surroundings.
There are places for Sims to sit outside and catch up with their classmates, a lot of greenery, flowers, and multiple pathways your Sims can wander off to just like an authentic campus.
Does anyone else miss those college nights of randomly wandering around campus? I do!
Enough of what I think: you got some studying to do!
Hit those books and when you’re finished you can let us know if you prefer Sims university in The Sims 3 or The Sims 4.
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