A Different World

The day before her wedding, Whitley frets about details until Byron is able to bring her back to reality. Kim volunteers to return to campus and retrieve a special pair of earrings that Whitley had left behind. She pays Ron a visit, and frets over the realization that the wedding is probably going to take place. Ron suggests that she intervene, but Kim is hesitant. Ron surprises Kim by giving her a stethoscope, and they share a kiss. The girls enjoy a wild bachelorette party, while a depressed Dwayne walks out on Byron's bachelor party. Late that night, Kim suggests that Whitley may not be completely over Dwayne. Whitley angrily denies this. Dwayne shows up on Whitley's doorstep and asks for the chance to talk with her. They take a walk in the garden, and Dwayne apologizes for the mistakes he has made. She concedes that she placed too much pressure on him, but Dwayne insists that he simply wasn't strong enough for a commitment at the time. He recalls a time when he was a geeky freshman

Gina's rapper boyfriend Dion (a.k.a. I'm Down) prepares to give a concert for his peers. He hires Ron as his promoter. Freddie reveals that she saw a man beating his girlfriend, but could not make out their faces in the darkness. She does not realize that the couple involved was Dion and Gina. He apologizes to Gina, but quickly flies off the handle and hits her again. Lena sees Gina's black eye and figures out what is going on. She decides that she cannot keep this a secret. Dion experiences a tremendous backlash from fellow students who are disgusted by his behavior. Ron quits his job and tries to fight Dion, who ignores Dwayne's recommendation that he seek counseling. Whitley urges Gina to get out of the relationship. Terrence calls the police on Dion and expresses disappointment in his one-time idol. Gina agrees to press charges.

Ron struggles with his new job at a car dealership. A female con artist gets him fired. She apologizes, and they hatch a scheme to get the boss to let them develop an ad campaign. Although things do not quite go as planned, Ron proposes a business partnership. Kim worries that she will not get into medical school after her least-desired choice rejects her. However, she soon has several offers to weigh--including one from Hillman.

Whitley turns down the opportunity to spend a weekend in Washington, D.C. with Byron. She is distressed by the fact that Dwayne does not seem jealous of her relationship with Byron. Kim suggests that Whitley clear the air with Dwayne so that she can move on. He turns down an invitation to come over and talk. He later shows up anyway, and they argue about the way their relationship ended. They eventually soften after Dwayne admits that he'll always think of Whitley as his girl. Whitley tries to return all gifts and mementos that remind her of Dwayne, as she cannot handle the pain. Dwayne kisses her passionately and spends the night. As Dwayne eats breakfast in Whitley's robe the next morning, Byron knocks on the door. Kim agrees to a date with Ron. He can only afford to take her to a small diner, where they encounter three of his ex-girlfriends in ten minutes. Kim declares that Ron cannot give up his womanizing ways overnight, and walks out.

One of Whitley's superiors continually makes unwanted sexual advances. When she turns down his dinner invitation, he suggests that he may not approve a purchase she had recommended. Whitley puts him in his place and decides not to file a complaint. Mr. Holtworth complains to his boss that Whitley has been sexually harassing him. Whitley cannot get a secretary to come forward, and a plan to catch Holtworth on videotape goes awry. Whitley mentions the peculiarity of Holtworth's frequent transfers, and suspects that her boss has heard rumors of the man's behavior. When pressed, Whitley's boss agrees to launch an investigation. Holtworth is found guilty and receives a warning. Terrence makes Col. Taylor uneasy by announcing his decision to major in dance. Col. Taylor attends a class, where he realizes that dance is much more difficult (and exhausting) than he had thought. He acknowledges that Terrence is a very good dancer. Ron takes a job as commercial spokesman for a phone sex hotline.

Dwayne becomes jealous of Whitley's new beau, particularly after she leads him to believe they are sleeping together. Ron promises to take Dwayne's mind off the situation by taking him to the big football game between Hillman and Virginia A Ron then sells his ticket to a scalper and spends the game in his car. Three white students from A walk by, and one of them decides to start trouble. Ron bets them on the outcome of the game, declining to mention that their quarterback is out with the flu. With Hillman winning in a rout early in the fourth quarter, the guys come out and pay Ron without an argument. Ron taunts them and says that their team needs to recruit more black players. One of the guys wants to let it go, but his friends begin to spray paint a racial slur on Ron's car. Ron starts to fight them, and Dwayne comes out and jumps into the fray. They are all held by campus security, who threatens to have them arrested unless they explain what happened. Ron and an A student giv

Col. Taylor, Jaleesa and Terrence argue about preparations for their first Christmas as a family. Jaleesa asks Whitley to join them for Christmas dinner. Dwayne's plans to go skiing fall through when his date dumps him for constantly talking about Whitley. Col. Taylor invites him to dinner, unaware that Whitley was already coming. Whitley goes to see her shrink, and is surprised to find that the Taylors are the next appointment. Dr. Langhorne accepts a Christmas dinner invitation from the Taylors in order to avoid her pushy mother-in-law. She tries to mediate everyone's disputes, and gets Dwayne and Whitley to consider becoming friends again. Meanwhile, everyone scrambles to avoid getting stuck with a homemade fruitcake sent by Whitley's aunt.

Before Dwayne and Whitley can deal with the repercussions of his revelation, her mother arrives for the engagement party. Dwayne's parents come to town, and Adele and Marion instantly despise each other. They clash over preparations for the party and wedding, and end up getting into a scuffle and throwing flowers all over the dorm lounge. Dwayne tells Whitley that he is feeling trapped; he fears that they are rushing into marriage. Dwayne has a talk with his father, who insists that it is common to have cold feet. Mrs. Gilbert and Mrs. Wayne establish an uneasy truce during the party. Each of the parents makes a touching toast to the couple and its future. Whitley announces that she is calling off the wedding and runs out. Dwayne follows her and pleads that he still loves her. He points out that his father said that everyone has doubts. ""Doubts, Dwayne. Not dates,"" she replies. Whitley tells Dwayne that she wants to be with him for the rest of her life, and asks if he can say the same.

Whitley's aunt offers her a lucrative job as an art buyer for her hotel chain. However, she expects Whitley to look after her golddigging cousin Liza during a weekend visit to Hillman. Liza befriends Lena and turns to her for fashion advice. Liza pursues virtually every man on the campus before finally setting her sights on Ron. Kim becomes extremely jealous. Whitley and Kim hide in a closet and overhear Liza talking on the phone with her mother. She advises her mother not to give Whitley the job. Whitley no longer has a reason to put up with Liza's antics, so she aids Kim with a plan to pry Ron from her clutches. Kim bursts in during a dinner date and makes a scene as she pretends that she is the mother of Ron's four children. Her outburst successfully drives Liza away. Meanwhile, Whitley decides to stop speaking to Dwayne because she feels he spends too much time playing or attending sports with his friends. Dwayne warns her not to play games.

Dwayne agrees to provide Lena with free tutoring to help her bring up her calculus grade. They bond over their mutual love of basketball and become friends. Whitley insists that Lena has a crush on Dwayne. Dwayne refuses to believe this until Lena leaves an answering machine message in which she raps about her romantic interest in him. Dwayne pushes her away, but fears that he acted insensitively. Whitley shows a surprising level of tolerance for Lena's behavior. She realizes that Lena is homesick and lonely, and offers to serve as her confidante. Ron enlists Kim's help in marketing a line of beauty products (supposedly) designed for African American women.

E.H. Wright needs a new secretary, so Whitley recommends Jaleesa's temp agency. Unfortunately, the company needs to fill the position immediately, and the only person available is Freddie. Freddie overhears the head of personnel say that she does not believe in affirmative action; she feels that she earned her job on merit, and wants others to do the same. Freddie lights into the woman and tells her that she has a duty to her race. Freddie gets fired, making both Jaleesa and Whitley look very bad. Jaleesa agrees with Freddie's stance and isn't sure she wants to do business with E.H. Wright. Col. Taylor angers his wife by pointing out that attacking one's boss because she holds a different point of view is not very smart. Freddie realizes that her behavior was inappropriate, and she and Jaleesa both apologize. Lena has difficulty understanding Shakespeare because of the language barrier. She delves into the spirit of the work and translates it into more modern terms.

Dwayne gives his calculus class a graded quiz on the first day of the year, even though he hasn't taught them anything yet. He plans to give a test every day, and asks the students to sign contracts promising to work extra hours every week. Lena tears up her contract and leads a walk-out. Col. Taylor warns Dwayne that he will be fired unless he comes to a compromise with the students. Dwayne agrees to set more reasonable standards. He explains that he will hold high expectations because he wants the class to accomplish great things. Ron attends the funeral of a professor he didn't know in order to buy Washington Bullets season tickets from the widow. Dwayne infuriates Whitley by cutting into his share of their joint account for a ticket. Col. Taylor advises Jaleesa to set up her new temp agency at the house. Freddie asks for a job, but has trouble finding anything that meets her moral standards.

Walter announces that he is leaving Hillman to take a job at a community center in Philadelphia. A roast is organized to give everyone a chance to say goodbye to him. Ron learns that he cannot graduate because he failed to take a European history course. Walter lobbies the dean on his behalf and convinces him to let Ron take the final. Although his friends help him cram for the test, Ron cannot learn enough in one night to pass the difficult exam. He wants to drop out of school, until Walter reminds him of his father's probable reaction. Kim receives a grant to study medicine in London over the summer. She and Matthew must head their separate ways, as he is going to spend the summer with an acting company in Seattle.

Whitley organizes an exhibit to display the artwork of Hillman students. Mr. Gaines shows her some sketches drawn by Novian Winters, a young man who pays for meals with art when he is short on cash. Impressed, she struggles to convince him to take part in the show. The gallery owner orders Whitley to remove Novian's painting because he considers it sacrilegious. Whitley fails to back Novian because she does not want to hurt the other artists by canceling the show. Jaleesa and Freddie accusing her of selling out Novian to further her own career. She moves the show to the Pit so that he can take part. Walter is outraged when his visiting niece gets too friendly with Ron.

The community outreach program loses funding after a corporate buyout, so Walter organizes a three-hour telethon to raise the $15,000 it needs to remain in operation. Jaleesa, Kim and Kinu sing, and Mr. Gaines tap dances (with musical accompaniment from Col. Taylor). Whitley's tribute to Josephine Baker falls apart when her male dance partners begin fighting over her. Dwayne begs for a chance to perform stand-up comedy, but suffers from stage fright. Although the telethon enjoys some initial success, the phones stop ringing during the final hour. The program only raises about $7000. Walter assures the children that he will find a way to come up with the rest of the money.

Dwayne receives an incredible job offer from Kinishewa. Although Whitley and Ron insist that he should jump at the offer, Dwayne is torn between the job and grad school. He finally accepts, only to change his mind after his words of wisdom dissuade Terrence from dropping out of school. He decides to attend grad school and keep teaching, as he believes the job will always be available if he needs it. Jaleesa's visiting sister, a homemaker who is bored with her life, marvels at her independence. She wishes to emulate her, and Jaleesa must convince her that she can go back to school without leaving her husband.

Matthew arranges for some friends from the National Theatre of the Deaf to perform for the children from the community center outreach program. Kim feels embarrassed by Matthew's free-spirited behavior, which she considers too silly. Matthew insists that his passion for acting is as great as Kim's devotion to medicine, and offers the opinion that art is just as important as science. Kim cares about Matthew, but is uncertain about their relationship. She observes Dwayne and Whitley's example and decides that they can learn to appreciate each other's differences. Everyone teases Whitley about her tendency to run off at the mouth. Dwayne bets that she cannot go a full day without speaking.

Whitley has to cut into the tuition check from her father to cover her share of the rent. She looks for a job, but turns down every offer. She is especially repulsed by the possibility of working at a mortuary with Kim. Whitley helps Ron organize a party (with cover charge) at a local warehouse. The event is a huge success, but the fire marshal shuts it down and fines Ron and Whitley for exceeding capacity. Although Dwayne sells his computer to pay the tuition, Jaleesa warns Whitley that he may eventually get tired of bailing her out. Whitley hocks some jewelry, takes the mortuary job, and repurchases Dwayne's computer. Terrence returns from a weekend trip to Washington, D.C. and proclaims himself a Muslim. His father isn't sure that he has given his decision enough thought, and doubts that Terrence can maintain a commitment to the religion.

Dwayne's good friend Zelmer comes to visit and stuns him by announcing that his Army Reserve unit has been called to the Persian Gulf. Ron promises to show Zelmer a good time over the weekend before he has to ship out on Monday. Dwayne is confused by Zelmer's cavalier attitude, and expresses disappointment at the fact that his friend won't open up to him. Ron annoys the girls by barring them from his send-off party for Zelmer. Whitley, Jaleesa and Kim crash the party and perform a musical number. Freddie, who is opposed to U.S. involvement in the Gulf, cannot bring herself to share her objections with Zelmer. Whitley tries to console a shaken Dwayne; he and Zelmer dreamed of changing the world with their minds, not fighting in a war. Dwayne now worries that the same thing could happen to him. Zelmer confesses his fears to Col. Taylor, who tries to help him remain strong.

Ron's father sends him a car to officially welcome him into the family car dealership. Ron cannot stand the business and wishes to become a professional drummer. Whitley warns Ron not to alienate his father, while Dwayne believes that he should pursue his dreams. Ron tries to share his decision with his father, but is too vague. Mr. Johnson shows up with a sports car for Ron and is shocked to learn his son's plans. Terrence disagrees with his father's decision to become the first black member of a country club. Col. Taylor reconsiders after discovering that the club must integrate in order to be eligible to host the PGA Championship. Although the head of membership insists that he has tried to break down the barriers for years, Col. Taylor doesn't feel the timing is right.

Dwayne helps Whitley with her marketing project, but turns her down when she offers to take him to dinner. Ron tells Dwayne that he is being stupid and warns that he will lose Whitley unless he lets go of the past. Dwayne surprises Whitley by showing up at her apartment with dinner (while she is cleaning the oven in sweats and a jheri curl cap). Dwayne asks her to explain some of her actions, such as refusing to answer his letters during the summer and kissing Ron right in front of him. He is still unsure about whether he should trust her. Whitley concedes that she was wrong to play games; she says that she has come to appreciate everything Dwayne has done for her, and just wants the chance to be with him. She admits that she is in love with him. They are beset by a constant series of interruptions, and must finally seek refuge on the fire escape. Dwayne tells Whitley that he loves her, and they celebrate their new relationship with a kiss. During history class, Ron derides the homeles

Walter narrates a Twilight Zone-style look at the students' struggles during midterms. Whitley must complete a report for her somewhat sadistic accounting professor by the following day. She struggles to find a quiet place to work after Jaleesa and a date kick her out of the apartment. Dwayne, working as a teaching assistant for Col. Taylor, cannot keep Terrence from skipping class. Col. Taylor discovers the truth, leaving Dwayne with just 24 hours to get Terrence ready for the midterm or lose his grad school recommendations. Freddie begins hearing voices that shake her confidence before her midterm in Professor Randolph's class.

Whitley's father comes to town and takes her to dinner. He announces that he is fed up with her exorbitant spending habits and takes away her credit cards. He will now only cover her tuition and basic living expenses. Whitley begs Jaleesa to let her continue living in her apartment, although she cannot quite cover her share of the rent and utilities. Whitley bemoans her plight and claims that everyone has abandoned her. Kinu catches Dwayne trying to console her. Freddie believes that Kim is studying too hard for the practice medical school boards. She tricks Kim into taking a break and coming to Ron's frat party. Kim plays a practical joke on Freddie; she pretends that she bombed the test because of exhaustion, then reveals that she actually scored 88 out of 90.

Whitley accepts a date with the persistent Ron in the hopes of making Dwayne jealous. She leaves a series of answering machine messages in which she repeats the time and location of the date, believing that Dwayne will show up. Ron ignores Dwayne's warning and insists that Whitley really likes him. After they have a good time at a club, Whitley feels guilty and admits that she was trying to get to Dwayne. Ron accepts her apology and says that he is happy to help, as he cannot stand Kinu. Ron pleads for a kiss at the end of the evening, and Whitley pecks him on the cheek. When Dwayne comes out of his apartment, she pulls Ron into a long liplock. Freddie hopes to get into a class taught by Professor Randolph, a respected authority on African American history. Professor Randolph asks students to write an essay explaining why they would like to enroll, but Freddie impresses him with a performance art piece. Freddie's cousin Matthew, who is white, comes over from Avery College to take the c

Julian shows up to surprise Whitley, who wants nothing to do with him. Dwayne and Ron dress like women to get past the drug dealers and onto the ferry. They arrive at the police station to discover that they accidentally brought Julian's bag instead of the one with the drugs and cash. Paul and Eric search the house, failing to recognize Dwayne and Ron (who are still disguised as ""Diana"" and ""Rhonda""). They promise to return that night. The gang fears that the police will not make it in time because a storm has cancelled all ferry service. Kim, Freddie, Ron and Mandy head out in search of help. Whitley decides to sleep with Julian, but he doesn't think the timing is right. Dwayne hears the dealers coming and bursts into Whitley and Julian's room. Whitley gets into an argument with Dwayne after telling him that she is a virgin. As she opens the door to get him to leave, she gestures with a candlestick holder and cracks Eric over the head. The trio struggles with the men until Walter and

Col. Taylor is the guest of honor at a campus roast. Frank Benning, a man from his first platoon in Vietnam, comes in to serve as the surprise guest speaker. Col. Taylor feels very uncomfortable; he believes that he committed an error on the battlefield that cost Frank his leg. Frank tells a different version of events in his speech. He insists that Col. Taylor is a great leader whose bravery saved everyone's lives. Ron tries to organize the dinner while fretting about the impending selection of the ROTC's Cadet of the Year award. Dwayne bets Whitley that she cannot go a full day without flirting.

Whitley is distraught when everyone, including Julian, seems to have forgotten her 21st birthday. Kim has actually remembered, and is planning a girls-only surprise party. Dwayne and Ron decide to kidnap Whitley and throw her in a fountain for some reason. Kim fails to thwart their plans, but Ron falls while climbing the dorm wall and injures his leg. A depressed Whitley gets drunk on cheap wine and has a dinner date with her photograph of Denzel Washington. The girls arrive to take her out; they agree that she should have told Julian about her birthday instead of expecting him to find out on his own. Jaleesa pretends not to care when she sees Walter on a date with the medic who treated Ron. Whitley apologizes to Julian for testing him.

A lovesick Dwayne convinces Walter to let him tag along on a recruiting trip to North Carolina, where he is trying to sign a high school basketball prospect. Walter gets pulled over for speeding and is arrested because of his unpaid jaywalking tickets. Alvin Dix, the young man Walter is recruiting, has to bail him out of jail. Alvin shows little interest in Hillman because he wants to play for legendary coach Cap Connors. Walter, who played for Connors, tells Dwayne that the coach cares only about basketball and discourages players from getting a good education. Walter and Dwayne cause a melee at a restaurant when they mistake Connors' wife for a groupie, as the coach had used attractive women to recruit players in the past. Alvin eventually realizes that he and Connors have philosophical differences, so he decides to consider Hillman. Dwayne causes problems throughout the trip because he keeps seeing Whitley's face on every woman and deer. Jaleesa engages in another battle of the sexe

Whitley meets Julian, an attractive exchange student from Georgetown who is part of Hillman's anti-apartheid group. Kim receives a scholarship that will solve her financial problems and allow her to gain work experience in a lab, rather than flipping burgers at the Pit. Unfortunately, Freddie discovers that the company funding the scholarship is a subsidiary of a corporation with investments in South Africa. Julian proposes a boycott; he angers Whitley by recommending that Hillman cut all financial ties with the corporation, as this would cost Kim her scholarship. Due to her father's health problems, Kim would have to work two jobs to stay in school. A young man from South Africa argues against the termination of scholarships, because he feels that the success of African American students serves as a beacon of hope to black South Africans mired in poverty and oppression. Kim decides to turn down the scholarship anyway. Whitley accepts a date with Julian.

Whitley goes to a jewelry store to buy a birthday present for her father. Freddie tags along because she enjoys watching Whitley ""power shop."" The clerk ignores them and is reluctant to open the display case. She also suggests a cheap watch, as she doesn't think that Whitley can afford any of the high-end merchandise. Freddie believes that the clerk is a racist and decides to leave. Whitley argues that the clerk probably thought they were poor because of their manner of dress. (Whitley had not changed after her tennis game.) Whitley spends a fortune to prove herself, but her friends argue that this only gives the clerk a fat commission. Whitley returns everything and tells off the clerk, getting the woman in hot water with her manager. The ROTC holds a retreat to teach civilians about life in the Army. Walter makes a fool of himself and loses a bet to Col. Taylor. Dwayne ignores Ron's instructions during a flag capture game. He gets lost in the mountains and comes in contact with poiso

Dwayne's old friend Milt comes for a visit. He believes that Hillman is holding Dwayne back, and encourages him to transfer to the University of Pennsylvania. Milt also recommends that Dwayne distance himself from ""dead weight"" like Ron. Dwayne considers his friend's words, until a talk with Whitley helps remind him of Ron's good qualities and the feeling of family that Hillman holds for its students. He defends the school's academic reputation to Milt. Col. Taylor and Mr. Gaines attend a reunion for U.S. servicemen. Col. Taylor tries to start a romance with a nurse he knew in Vietnam, only to discover that she is a complete mess.

Whitley is in a foul mood during the holiday season, especially when her mother insists that they fly to the south of France instead of spending a quiet Christmas at home. She coldly rejects Freddie's offer to spend Christmas with her, and refuses to attend the gang's tree-trimming party. Whitley's mother appears to her in a dream and warns that she is headed for the same lonely, isolated existence as Marion. Whitley is visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future (who bear an uncanny resemblance to Mr. Gaines, Walter and Jaleesa). She learns that Freddie will end up staying with Dwayne for the holidays, leading to a romance between the two. Whitley discovers that Dwayne and Freddie will marry, while she will spend her entire life alone. Whitley suddenly gets into the holiday spirit, decorates everything in sight, and asks Freddie to come along to France. However, Marion shows up at the dorm and tells her daughter that she wants to spend Christmas in Richmond. She settle

Kim and Freddie plan to spend homecoming weekend at Freaknic, a music festival in Washington, D.C. Kim's policeman father calls and forbids her to go to the concert. Kim decides to go anyway, and Whitley has to distract her father when he arrives unexpectedly. When Kim returns, Mr. Reese yells at her and threatens to make her transfer to a hometown school. She insists that she is a responsible 19-year-old who should be allowed to make her own decisions, but her father restricts her to the house for the rest of her vacations. Whitley tries to convince Kim that she is lucky to have someone who cares enough to yell at her, as Whitley seldom received attention from her parents as a child. Ron and Dwayne face a dilemma when each brings a girl back to the apartment.

Ron takes a liking to his study partner, Elizabeth; and is surprised to learn that she has a 13-month-old son. He is unsure about getting involved, but quickly bonds with the child. Believing that the boy needs a positive male role model, Ron tries a little too hard to step in and become a father figure. Dwayne arranges a performance by his old friends Heavy D & the Boyz for a charity concert. Whitley, who had hoped to bring in an opera company, organizes an anti-rap protest. She makes a fool of herself by espousing her views to Heavy D, unaware of his identity. Heavy eventually wins Whitley over, and the gang joins him onstage to dance during the show.

Walter convinces many of the students to volunteer at a community center. Whitley teaches ballet to the children and becomes friends with a young boy named Dion, who claims to be dirt poor. Whitley's wallet is stolen, and she is stunned to learn that Dion was the culprit. He exaggerated the extent of his poverty and took advantage of Whitley's kindness. Whitley does not want to return to the center, but Walter insists that the kids need a positive influence if they are to escape from the streets. Whitley continues with her teaching, and refuses to give up on Dion. Walter's duties keep him away from his bowling team, so Col. Taylor agrees to step in. When he turns out to be terrible, Mr. Gaines and the other team members try to find a way to oust him.

Whitley has yet to take a basic math course that is required for graduation. She reluctantly enrolls in Col. Taylor's class, and he tries to help her overcome her fear of the subject. Dwayne and Ron clash over finances. Dwayne believes that Ron spends money too freely, while Ron accuses him of being a cheapskate.

Dwayne runs for student council president. Although he has good ideas about scholarships and ways to fund student activities, no one will listen to him. They prefer the approach of his opponent, who only talks about parties. Rev. Jesse Jackson comes to the university for a lecture and stays with Col. Taylor. Ron tries to win votes by printing posters that imply that Dwayne has Rev. Jackson's endorsement. Dwayne apologizes to Rev. Jackson and plans to drop out of the race. Rev. Jackson encourages Dwayne to keep fighting; even if he loses, he can present his message to the students. Jaleesa and Kim struggle to find a present for Freddie's 18th birthday, but she seems to beat them to the punch on every gift idea.

Whitley hits Mr. Gaines' car, causing nearly $1000 in damage. She is afraid to ask her father for the money because she fears that he will take her car away. Kim helps her get a job at the Pit to fund the repairs. Whitley initally annoys Mr. Gaines with her incompetence, but soon impresses him with a series of innovative suggestions that help boost profits. Kim feels insecure, as she is no longer Mr. Gaines' favorite employee. Ron endures campus-wide embarrassment after a classmate gives him a terrible haircut.

Jaleesa accepts a dinner invitation from her ex-husband, Lamar. Walter pretends that he is okay with this, but is secretly jealous. All of the girls fawn over the handsome and suave Lamar when he arrives to pick up Jaleesa (including Whitley, who had been ranting about what a dog he was). Walter shows up to meet his competition, and is hurt when Jaleesa calls him a ""friend."" Lamar claims to be a changed man and seeks a reconciliation. Jaleesa is extremely wary; she storms out after he reveals that he is living with a woman, whom he hopes to dump for Jaleesa. Although Walter responds sarcastically to Jaleesa's apology, they later work out their differences.

Whitley experiences anxiety about a visit from her mother, Marion, who is obsessed with finding her daughter a husband. She criticizes Whitley for paying more attention to academics and potential jobs than the hunt for a mate. Whitley is pleased to receive a phone call from a handsome childhood acquaintance, who is now enrolled in medical school. She soon learns that her mother got the guy's phone number and encouraged him to date Whitley. Whitley embarrasses Marion by storming out during an important function, and later calls her mother to task for her behavior. However, Marion doesn't understand what she has done wrong. Freddie goes all out to implement a new campus recycling program.

Clair Huxtable attends the Hillman job fair to conduct a seminar on business etiquette. She brings teenage daughter Vanessa and a friend in the hopes of convincing Vanessa to attend Hillman. (She and Dr. Huxtable would like to have a child actually graduate from their alma mater.) Dwayne has a disastrous interview with the Kinishewa electronics company. Clair agrees to lobby the company rep--a longtime friend who is attracted to her--on Dwayne's behalf. Vanessa and Kara ditch Whitley and Jaleesa so that they can cruise the campus alone. The girls lie about their age and identity and convince Dwayne and Ron to take them out. The foursome runs into Clair and Phillip at a restaurant. A fuming Clair drags the girls away, and Dwayne gets his internship.

Kim refuses to take calls from Robert, and simply tells her friends that they had a fight. She confesses to Whitley that she may be pregnant. Whitley offers her complete support, and even sacrifices her car by loaning it to Freddie to prevent her from pestering Kim. Robert explains his predicament to Walter; he made the situation worse by suggesting that Kim get an abortion. Walter tells Robert to give Kim some space, but he sneaks into the girls' dorm with Dwayne. Robert apologizes for his initial reaction and asks Kim to marry him. They decide to wait until after her doctor's appointment before considering such a big step. Kim is relieved to learn that she is not pregnant, and endures a stern lecture from Lettie.

Kim begins spending a lot of time in her dorm room with her boyfriend, Robert. Whitley tries to be understanding, and sets up a system to allow the couple some privacy. However, she quickly grows tired of being locked out of her own room and quarrels with Kim. She notes that Robert's bed is vacant and decides to move into his room. Kim goes to the guys' dorm to retrieve Whitley, and they agree that they deserve each other. Freddie edits a poetry magazine, but her harsh critiques make her unpopular with classmates.

Whitley choreographs Gilbert Hall's step routine for a competition during homecoming festivities. She annoys everyone with her pushy attitude, and team captain Jaleesa throws her off the squad for insulting the rhythmless Freddie. Whitley reconsiders her behavior following a meeting with her childhood idol, a respected 92-year-old alumnus who never married and is completely friendless. Walter blackmails Dwayne into tutoring the football team's star offensive lineman, ""The Meat Locker,"" for a math test that he must pass to remain eligible for the big game.

Whitley and Jaleesa team up for an audition to sing backup at an upcoming Gladys Knight concert on campus. They ask Angela, an aspiring opera singer, to join them. After Whitley and Jaleesa improve Angela's stage presence and teach her how to sing popular music, she turns into an insufferable diva. They throw her out of the group, but she forms her own trio and wins the audition. Whitley goes nuts and tries to attack Angela, embarrassing herself in front of Gladys Knight in the process. Jaleesa and Whitley realize they should have followed their instincts and tried out as a duo. They imagine what it might have been like to sing with Gladys. Meanwhile, Freddie tries to work up the nerve to ask Dwayne to the concert.

Walter asks Jaleesa on a date. She refuses because she is involved in a long-distance relationship. She finally agrees to join him for dinner, with the stipulation that they are just friends. Jaleesa has a great time with Walter and even shares a slow dance with him. However, she still refuses to break up with her boyfriend. Dwayne and Ron start a wake-up service.

As the school year begins, Dwayne faces the prospect of taking a calculus class from Col. Taylor, a tough professor nicknamed ""Dr. War."" He fears that Col. Taylor could expose his academic success as a fluke and destroy his dreams of becoming an engineer, so he asks Walter to help him get into another section. Walter believes that Dwayne could thrive under Col. Taylor's tutelage, and asks the professor to talk to him. Col. Taylor manages to change Dwayne's mind and convince him to enroll in his class. Whitley meets new roommate Kim Reese, a headstrong freshman who plans to become a doctor. Whitley hopes to intimidate Kim and drive her to another room, but finds it impossible to break her. Jaleesa's cheerful freshman roommate, Freddie Brooks, develops a massive crush on Dwayne.

A psychology experiment in parenting calls for egg-doption, but when Jaleesa loses Maggie's "eggby," she and Denise scramble to find it.

Clair Huxtable visits Denise bearing motherly advice as well as news that conflicts with Denise's summer plans.

In the name of sexual equality, Denise convinces Dwayne to run in the Miss Hillman Beauty Pageant against Whitley.

Dwayne uses his radio persona "Dr. Cupid" to find a Valentine's Day date, and Denise uses Dr. Cupid to reconcile Lettie and an old love.

Hillman alumna Lettie Bostic fills in as dorm monitor, but her strongly voiced opinions have the girls considering mutiny.

Tired of being hit on by men, a grad student decides to turn the tables and seduce Dwayne.

A geology professor has every woman in the class fighting for his attention.

The girls plan Operation Yogi, a plot to steal the rival school's bear-head mascot, but a visit from Denise's grandfather makes a boo-boo inevitable.

Whitley's claim that women can't succeed at both career and family infuriates Lisa and Maggie.

Questionable tactics abound when Denise plays dating games and Jaleesa is elected dorm monitor.

During her first few days at Hillman College, Denise Huxtable finds herself at odds with her new roommate, Jaleesa, a 26-year-old freshman with a mysterious past.