Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. Or, in the case of BitLife, you could miss out on one of the most frustratingly specific ribbons in the game. The Ferris Bueller Challenge BitLife players often struggle with isn't just about clicking buttons; it's about channeling a very specific brand of 80s teenage rebellion. You've got to be a bit of a jerk, but a lovable one. A "righteous dude," if you will.
Most people fail this because they try to be too successful. They treat BitLife like a career simulator where you need a PhD and a high-paying job. Stop that. To channel your inner Matthew Broderick, you need to lean into the chaos. You need to be the kid who thinks the system is a bore and that a Ferrari is a necessity, not a luxury.
The Birth of a Legend: Starting Your Run
First thing's first. You have to be a guy. It's the Ferris Bueller Challenge, after all.
Start your life in Chicago. It’s non-negotiable. If the game spawns you in New York or Los Angeles, just restart. You're looking for that Windy City vibe. Your stats don't need to be perfect, but having a decent Look score helps. Ferris was charming. He wasn't just some delinquent; he was a personality.
Once you’re born, the early years are basically filler. Just get to high school. That’s where the real work begins. Don't waste your time studying. In fact, if your smarts are too high, you might accidentally end up with a scholarship you don't want. Just exist. Be mediocre. Save your energy for the truancy.
Breaking the Rules: The High School Years
This is where the Ferris Bueller Challenge BitLife requirements get specific. You need to skip school. A lot. But you can't just click "skip" once and call it a day. You need to be a consistent problem for the administration.
Every year in high school, make sure you skip at least once. But here’s the kicker: you also need to get sent to the principal’s office. This is a delicate balance. You want to be a nuisance, but you don't want to get expelled immediately. If you get expelled, it gets much harder to complete the "insult the principal" requirement that often pops up in these community-driven challenges.
When you're in school, look for the "Class" tab. Pick a fight. Or better yet, just be disruptive. When the principal calls you in, give them some attitude. Insult them. It feels wrong if you're a high-achiever in real life, but in BitLife, it's the only way to live the dream.
The Art of the Sickness
Remember the movie? The keyboard? The coughing?
In the game, you can try to "fake a sickness" to get out of things, but the most direct way to satisfy the challenge criteria is simply using the "Skip School" interaction. Do it repeatedly. If your parents get mad, ignore them. You’re Ferris Bueller. Their rules don't apply to you.
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The Heist: Getting the Car
You can't have a Ferris Bueller experience without a high-end ride. The challenge specifically requires you to steal a car. Not just any car, though. You’re looking for something flashy.
- Go to the "Activities" tab.
- Select "Crime."
- Choose "Grand Theft Auto."
This is where things usually go sideways for players. If you get caught, you go to juvie. If you go to juvie, your high school career is basically over, and you might miss the chance to finish the other tasks. Honestly, it's a bit of a gamble.
Pro tip: If you see a high-end sports car on the list (like a Ferrari or a Porsche), go for it. If you fail and get caught, some players choose to close the app immediately—the "Force Close" trick—to try again without the arrest sticking. It’s a bit cheesy, but so is faking a fever with a heating lamp.
Beyond High School: Maintaining the Vibe
Once you’ve successfully skipped school, insulted the principal, and stolen a car, you might think you're done. But the Ferris Bueller Challenge BitLife tracks your "reputation" of sorts. You need to make sure you don't suddenly become a model citizen.
Don't go to university. Why would you? You’ve already peaked.
Instead, look for a job that fits the "slacker" aesthetic. Or better yet, don't get a job at all for a while. If the challenge requires you to "marry a girl named Sloane" (which some variations of the user-created challenges do), you’ll need to hit the dating pool hard. You might have to date twenty different women before you find a Sloane. It’s tedious. It’s boring. But that’s the dedication required for the 100% completion.
The "40 Years Old" Milestone
One of the weirdest parts of this challenge is the longevity. You have to reach a certain age—usually 40—without ever having a "real" career or being a productive member of society.
You’re basically living in your parents' basement or bouncing between low-level gigs. If you accidentally become a famous actor or a CEO, you’ve failed the spirit of the challenge. Keep your stress low and your happiness high. Spend your time going to the gym, hanging out with friends, and maybe doing a bit of light gambling.
Common Pitfalls and Why You're Failing
I see it all the time on Reddit and Discord. People get frustrated because the "Challenge Checked" notification doesn't pop up. Usually, it's because of one of these three things:
- The Principal Interaction: You didn't just need to see the principal; you needed to insult them. Simply "apologizing" won't cut it. You have to be a brat.
- The Car Type: While the game sometimes just asks for "a car," stealing a junker doesn't feel right. Aim for the sports car. It’s about the soul of the challenge.
- The Location: People forget the Chicago rule. If you aren't in Chicago, the game doesn't recognize the homage.
BitLife is a game of hidden variables. Sometimes, your "Karma" stat gets too high because you were too nice to your siblings, and it messes with the "troublemaker" vibe the game is looking for. If you find yourself being too "good," go commit some more petty crimes. Shoplift a candy bar. It keeps the edge sharp.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Run
If you want to knock this out in one sitting, follow this sequence exactly. Don't deviate. Don't get distracted by the "Join a Cult" expansion or whatever new shiny thing BitLife has added this week.
- Step 1: Start Male in Chicago. High Looks is a bonus.
- Step 2: Age up to 14. This is when the rebellion starts.
- Step 3: Skip School. Do this every year until graduation.
- Step 4: Get Sent to the Principal. Be disruptive in class. When you get there, choose the "Insult him/her" option.
- Step 5: Steal the Sports Car. Go to the Crime tab. If you don't see a sports car, age up and check again.
- Step 6: Avoid Employment. Stay unemployed or take a part-time gig as a waiter or something equally "temporary."
- Step 7: Age to 40. Just keep your health up and stay out of prison.
The beauty of the Ferris Bueller Challenge BitLife is that it forces you to play the game incorrectly. It rewards the "wrong" choices. It’s a digital protest against the grind. Once you hit that final milestone and see the challenge complete, you can go back to being a brain surgeon or a professional athlete in your next life. But for now, just enjoy the day off.
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Stay away from the principal, keep the Ferrari in one piece, and remember that life is short. If you've done everything right, the ribbon should be yours. There are no shortcuts to being a legend, even in a text-based life sim. Just keep clicking, keep skipping, and keep Chicago in your heart.
Next Steps for Players:
Check your current character's location immediately. If you're not in Chicago, start a new life now. Once you've secured your Chicago birth, focus exclusively on your "Smarts" stat—keep it below 50% to ensure you don't accidentally get pushed into a "Good Student" track by the game's AI. This will make the "disruptive" prompts appear much more frequently in the school sub-menu.