On her day of graduation, Felicity asks a longtime high school crush, Ben, to sign her yearbook; after she reads his message, in which he says that he would have liked to have known her better, Felicity changes her lifelong college plans to follow Ben to a New York school. There, she meets her quirky (and smitten) resident advisor Noel and her first new friend Julie.

When Felicity learns a male called the admissions office requesting a copy of her application essay, she assumes it was Ben — the subject of said essay — and sends him a copy. Meanwhile, Felicity's parents pop up in New York again.

Felicity's parents arrive unexpectedly for Thanksgiving. She is afraid to tell them about all of the recent changes she has made in her life. The Porters, David and Professor Sherman all end up getting invited to dinner at Noel and Elena's apartment. Meghan shows up in the hopes of seeing everyone get into a fight. Felicity fears that David is becoming too serious about their relationship. Felicity and Noel get drunk from Professor Sherman's punch. They go to his room and reminisce about their kiss the previous Thanksgiving. Professor Sherman walks in on them kissing. An ugly scene develops, leaving Meghan delighted. Felicity breaks up with David. Javier recruits Ben, Julie and Sean to help him cater the Sherwoods' anniversary party. Maggie introduces her husband to Ben, ""the guy I've been sleeping with."" Ben realizes that Maggie was just using him to get back at her cheating husband. Sean and Julie console him as they dine on ""tofurkey."" Meghan forgets a promise to serve dinner to

Felicity's father accompanies her back to New York, where he is scheduled to work with the university. She grows tired of his constant intrusions, and panics when he announces that he may take a full-time job as a professor of surgery. Dr. Porter sends Felicity reeling with the news that he and her mother are separated. Ben and Felicity begin working the same shifts at Dean & DeLuca. Ben tells Sean that he was wrong to take his advice about not getting into a relationship with Felicity. Depressed after the university cuts the swim program, Ben convinces her to join him in blowing off some steam. They buy beer with his fake I.D. and break into the campus pool. They get caught by campus security and face expulsion. Julie rejects Erik's advances. However, he assures her that he truly cares about her music. She begins recording her demo, but learns from a technician that Erik has a reputation for preying on young singers. Ben advises Sean to tell Julie how he feels about her. Sean cann

Felicity and Ben are ordered to attend sessions with a counselor, who will help determine their punishment. Ben doesn't show up because he thinks the whole thing is stupid. Felicity gets caught in the middle of her parents' bickering when her mother comes for a visit. She learns that her mother married so young because she was pregnant with Felicity. Felicity blames herself for forcing her mother to give up all her dreams. She seriously considers Ben's suggestion that they chuck everything and take a trip to Vienna. Noel struggles to make up with Ruby after an argument. She reveals the real reason that she is upset: she may be pregnant. Elena gets a ""sexy new lab partner."" She fears that he will distract her from her studies.

Greg is in a bind when a doctor leaves the clinic just before it is to undergo an inspection. Felicity volunteers her father for the assignment. She discovers that Dr. Porter is taking anxiety pills, and that he quit his job at the hospital weeks earlier. Dr. Porter explains that he never wanted to take the job in the first place; he misses his wife desperately, and hoped that she would ask him to come home. Noel tells Ruby that he cannot get over the fact that she is carrying someone else's child. He offers his friendship. Tracy annoys Elena with his cockiness as they prepare for an exam. After they both receive outstanding scores, Elena agrees to go out with him. Ben continues to mope about Felicity's close working relationship with Greg. He reluctantly goes on a date, but cannot stop thinking about Felicity. He goes to the clinic to share his feelings. He finds Felicity and Greg talking and laughing as they celebrate the clinic's high marks on the inspection. Dejected, Ben walks awa

Julie has difficulty sleeping because of nightmares about Zach. Felicity recommends that she talk to someone, but Julie doesn't feel she is ready. A student visits the clinic to obtain the morning-after pill, only to discover that the university will no longer distribute it. An outraged Felicity turns to Greg, who cannot take any action because he fears losing the little support the clinic has. Felicity organizes a sit-in, which freshman advisee Burkey helps turn into a major protest. Felicity wants to call the whole thing off after Greg gets in trouble, but the others refuse to leave. Dr. Porter is brought in to convince Felicity to give up. She refuses, and Greg decides to join the demonstration. When Felicity chokes during a television interview, Julie steps up and delivers an impassioned speech about the pill's importance to rape victims. The university is touched by her words and reverses its position. Felicity kisses Greg during the celebration. Noel helps Ben study for an upcomi

As the summer comes to an end, Felicity's father begins nagging her about her future. She hopes to prove that she has a future in her major by gaining admission to the honors art program. Ben returns from the EMT training session and announces that he wants to become a doctor. He signs up for a heavy course-load, and realizes that he will have to stay in school a fifth year to finish his pre-med requirements. Felicity is put off by Ben's sudden sense of purpose, as she expected him to be just as aimless as she is. She begins turning to the jobless Noel for support. Felicity's father comes to town and accuses her of wasting her college years. She becomes furious at his interference and decides to pay for her final year of college herself. She immediately files papers to declare her independence. Felicity shows up late for work while dealing with her crisis, forcing Ben to cover for her. He then arrives late to his first organic chemistry lecture, where the professor locks him

Felicity is able to graduate because Professor Carnes fails her on the paper, but lets her pass the class. Ben asks Felicity to marry him, and she accepts. Ben receives a call in the middle of the night and learns that Lauren has gone into labor in Philadelphia. He catches a train and is present at the birth of his son, Andrew. Felicity's parents come to town for graduation. Her father rags on her for deciding to live with Ben in New York, and accuses her of always following Ben. Felicity angrily announces her engagement. Ben returns and admits that it was very difficult to leave his son. Lauren is still planning to move to Arizona, and he wants to follow. Felicity is still uncertain about joining him. Richard inadvertently blabs about Ben's child and the Arizona move to Felicity's father. Dr. Porter confronts Ben and expresses disapproval about the engagement (among other things). Felicity refuses to move to Arizona because she thinks that she should be more independent.