Moving to Lincoln for Law School, good idea??? (Omaha, Center: to live, shop)

[jfucsd10]

Danni:

I appreciate the kind words, and if most of you on this forum are any indicator, it would appear as though Lincoln residents are very down to earth friendly people.

I appreciate the tip on SBA and will definitely take you up on your offer for cheap study aids. I realize every little thing will count this year so help is definitely appreciated.

Look forward to orientation ... maybe I'll run into you while you're giving your guided tours.

[Malness]

I know you posted your thread a while back, but I was wondering if you're still in law school or graduated? I too am getting a full ride to UNL in Actuarial Sciences and moving from Palos Verdes, CA. I am in the same situation you were...I don't know anyone, haven't been to Lincoln, and am not white...my parents are from Pakistan! People keep telling me the same things about why I'm going to Lincoln.

I want to know, now that you have lived in Lincoln, how do you feel about it? Plus do you know what would be a good, safe place to live off campus? I'm wait listed for housing

P.S. I also attended UCI

[ehenningsen]

I follow the sports recruiting world, and Lincoln is always in the top of kids list as far as things to do for college students, amendities near the campus, low crime and how it is right next to downtown and all of its retail and restaraunts..

Anybody can come in here and say a bunch of ranting garbage about this city, but from a perspective of college students that tour major campuses around the nation, they almost always put lincoln at least a 9 out of 10, few have put it lower, and a few have it as a 10..

So, from kids who have a luxury of choosing a campus, Lincoln is almost always near the top of their lists..

[alligatorboy]

Originally Posted by cafe du monde

Hi all, I think I've made a tentative decision to come to Lincoln for Law school. I live in Orange County, CA, right now, and you know, I've been hearing non-stop that I am making a huge mistake in choosing Nebraska. I could go to Seattle, Miami, No. Cali, Boston, or stay where I am at, but none of these other schools are offering me a full ride. So in truth, I am scared to death of leaving here, since Nebraska has certain connotations of being unfriendly and full of corns and cows. I know I shouldn't buy into the stereotypes of Nebraska, but it's hard when I know no one from that area. Thus, I wanted to come on this board and ask people's opinions. I sure hate the cold, but I don't think I should let lethal winters sway me from a free law education. I've been reading the thread on Lincoln, and I'm hearing the shopping sucks (ahhhh!!), the food is bland, and the weather is unpredictable. Can I get any reassurance whatsoever that it won't be so bad?? LOL. I'm sure there are positives of Lincoln, but I am not hearing them, even from people who live there. Perhaps someone can truly enlighten me on how it's like to live there? Thanks!

I would say some of the other places you were thinking of going to school would be more interesting than Lincoln, Nebraska. I have lived in Lincoln my entire life. It's a nice city, but I'm bored with it after being here for 18 years. Yes, the weather is unpredictable. One time in January, it was 73 degrees, and then it snowed in June or July that same year. I hate to discourage you, but if you aren't used to a lot of snow, I would say don't come here. When it snows here, the snow doesn't melt for awhile, and there is usually a lot of ice with it, which seems to cause a lot of severe car accidents. There are some people in Nebraska that say there are more cows than people, and I don't think they're kidding. Nebraska has just a little over a million people. Yes, we do grow a lot of corn here. Some of the stereotypes aren't made up.
I would say that there isn't as much to do here than there would be in some other places.
If I were you, I would stay in Orange County or go to Miami.

[alligatorboy]

Originally Posted by cafe du monde

Thanks, Matt for responding. Yeah, I guess I shouldn't let it deter me. Ha. It's really a stupid question to begin with. But thanks for your sincere answer nonetheless.

Thanks K. Bear for the welcome.

You know, staying in to study is probably best for me. So the thought of a distraction-less environment should excite me, but alas, all it does is make me feel more desolate. LOL. Okay, not that funny. LOQuietly.

Yeah, no doubt no one wants to hear about how they do things elsewhere, since you're not there. That's actually really good advice. I'll be bound to slip though. But I think I'll like it if Nebraskans aren't as pretentious as all the gals out here with the fake boobies and hair extensions. Could be quite refreshing to be the only one like that in Nebraska. LOL.

Will it be a complete and total culture shock? No clubbing? And most musical acts probably won't stop in Lincoln, or for that matter anywhere in Nebraska, either, huh.

And another thing, how do Nebraskans react to different races? I'm Asian, and you know, I'll probably be the only Cambodian/Chinese girl in the whole friggin state. People will wonder where the hell I got my tan from. LOL.

Plus, I'll probably be the only one driving a honda and not a chevrolet. Geez, I can see it all already. Well, what the hell, I love steak, and corn's a good side dish. But where the hell's my soy milk? Not in Nebraska.

And god, you guys were the ones that voted for Bush? Sigh. I've got a lot to come to terms with.

I'm wondering where you hear this stuff about Nebraska, because a lot of what you said isn't completely true. No, you will not be the only Asian in Nebraska. We have a lot of Asians in Lincoln. No one is going to look at you weird here because you're Asian. I can guarantee you that you won't have any trouble finding soy milk here. Not everyone in Nebraska voted for Bush. A lot of people here don't like him at all, including me. Also, not everyone in Nebraska likes steak.
I am a pescetarian, and I don't miss beef at all. You will not be the only person in Nebraska driving a Honda. I honestly don't know where you heard that. Hondas are everywhere here. Nebraska is nothing like California, but it's a lot different than what you think it's like.
If you like seafood a lot, you won't have any trouble finding some. Hy-Vee, a grocery store that is only in the Midwest, has live lobsters and other live shellfish, crab legs, and several other kinds of seafood. Other grocery stores also carry seafood that is very fresh.

[alligatorboy]

Originally Posted by alligatorboy

I'm wondering where you hear this stuff about Nebraska, because a lot of what you said isn't completely true. No, you will not be the only Asian in Nebraska. We have a lot of Asians in Lincoln. No one is going to look at you weird here because you're Asian. I can guarantee you that you won't have any trouble finding soy milk here. Not everyone in Nebraska voted for Bush. A lot of people here don't like him at all, including me. Also, not everyone in Nebraska likes steak.
I am a pescetarian, and I don't miss beef at all. You will not be the only person in Nebraska driving a Honda. I honestly don't know where you heard that. Hondas are everywhere here. Nebraska is nothing like California, but it's a lot different than what you think it's like.
If you like seafood a lot, you won't have any trouble finding some. Hy-Vee, a grocery store that is only in the Midwest, has live lobsters and other live shellfish, crab legs, and several other kinds of seafood. Other grocery stores also carry seafood that is very fresh.

Nebraska may be a culture shock, but you will find out that it is nothing like you think it is. I invite you to come here and see what Nebraska is really like so you can forget the ridiculous stereotypes you hear about Nebraska. Lincoln is a big city, and very interesting. I still can't figure out what makes you think you will be the only Asian in the state. I doubt you will have anyone treat you differently because of this.

[alligatorboy]

Originally Posted by MattDen

I was just comparing other cities number of students in public schools as opposed to the number in Lincoln where people have one baby another but since Pittsburgh came up.

Pittsburgh has 315,000 people in the city proper and Lincoln has 240,000 people.

Pittsburgh is a true gem with lots of people in their 20s (the younger demographic) besides better to have a city be a gem then a dirty diaper like Lincoln is.

Pittsburgh has a deficit of young people?, Pittsburgh had lots of people in their 20s crowding the streets of Oakland when I was there. The bus from going from Downtown to Monroeville had lots of college students and as the bus was passing by thats all I saw was college students walking around Oakland. Not only that the neighborhoods adjacent to U. Pitt have tons of ethnic retaurant, I had an Italian hoagie for 3
dollars and it was delicious while looking at the amazing architecture and the cathedral of learning in the background.

I was just thinking a nice Italian hoagie on freshly baked bread in Pittsburgh for 3 dollars or scoop of stew that has the apperance of vomit like I have had before for 7 dollars in Nebraska (a rural town just west of Lincoln).

On the hand, Lincoln has a state university and sea of neighborhoods which are unappealing. In Lincoln once you pass 19th street its mainly just people raising babies in shacks and trailers (to the north near the university) who never learned that there is more to do in life then just have one baby after another. People who must have half-a dozen babies living in 100 year old small shacks.

Lincoln for a city of its size should have a school system of around 25,000 students but its at 33,000 and rising fast. Lincoln has an increasing birth-rate so thus more and more babies will be crowding the schools in future years. Lincoln has so babies being born that they were in a state of crisis with being short so they had to approve a 250 million dollar bond (last year) just to cope with the amount of babies people have in this town. While at the same Lincoln runs cyclical budget deficits in millions and millions of dollars.

Ive been in Pittsburgh before, Lincoln's older neighborhoods look worse then Wilkinsburg, PA.

Lets see Pittsburgh has Carson Street and what does Lincoln have for entertainment the Haymarket where most of the activity is centered around one block.

Pittsburgh has UPMC in Oakland, I guess with a fantastic hospital network like that alot of seniors would enjoy spending their golden years in person while seniors in Lincoln will spending golden years worrying about those tremendous property taxes.

Pittsburgh has victorian mansions in Shadyside, Oakland, Squirrel Hill and Lincoln has one area of nice victorians and the rest of the older devolopment is mainly ugly old wooden shacks.

Besides, most people as far as scenery would prefer the view from Mountain Washington in Pittsburgh over the view of Lincoln's precious state capital.

I can say Ive been in Lincoln and Pittsburgh and yeah Pittsburgh for 310,000 people in the city proper is amazing for its architecture, food, ethnic neighborhoods, sustainable planning and amazing skyline while Lincoln is amazing for the number of babies people have, trailers and vacant lots.

Do you not care about the feelings of the people who live in Lincoln? What makes you think it's okay to call a city a "dirty diaper"? I can't believe you would post something like this where everyone can see it. Lincoln is a good place to live. Seriously, when was the last time you have been to Lincoln?
What is this stuff about trailers and vacant lots? There are some people in Lincoln who are very poor, but they don't live in trailers. We might have a few vacant lots, but they won't be left like that.
There are some very nice old houses in Lincoln. The house I'm living in was built in 1921, and it is not an "ugly old wooden shack". We have houses in Lincoln that cost over a million dollars, and there are other houses in Lincoln that are very nice.
There is a lot more to do in Lincoln than go to the Haymarket.
I can assure you that there are very few, if any, people that spend their lives raising one baby after another. My neighbor is a set designer and goes to California all the time to work on movies and tv shows.
You should compare the crime rates for Lincoln and Pittsburgh, and tell me what you think of Lincoln then.
Next time, leave it to the people who live in Lincoln to tell others what it's like. Your post is very negative and I don't think the person who started this thread would want to read some of the things you said. I think everyone should pay no attention to your post because you don't know what you are talking about.
You need to come back to Lincoln and see what it is like today, but I don't know if I want someone here who is going to be so negative.

[alligatorboy]

Originally Posted by mattpoulsen

Mattden,

You're just unbelievably pompous! I'd use other words, but I don't want this post deleted.

Lincoln does NOT have a number of blighted areas!! Yes, it is in and around city campus, but why does that define Lincoln as a run down city???? Your definitions are as fluid as water.

Lincoln roads are not in horrible shape!! We live in the midwest. There are always potholes after winter!! I was just in downtown Denver and saw plenty of potholes. Can you come up with anything more ludicrous to conclude Lincoln is a horrible city??

What does Lincoln get for its taxes?? How about a top notch education! Nebraska and Lincoln in general annihilates Colorado in ACT score!!

I was just thinking a nice Italian hoagie on freshly baked bread in Pittsburgh for 3 dollars or scoop of stew that has the apperance of vomit like I have had before for 7 dollars in Nebraska.

Yep! That's logical. One bad cup of stew and clearly the entire city is worthless. What a joke!

In Lincoln once you pass 19th street its mainly just people raising babies in shacks and trailers (to the north) who never learned that there is more to do in life then just have one baby after another. People who must have half-a dozen babies living in 100 year old small shacks.


Are you serious! You're just a bitter pompous jerk. Not to mention a liar. I can't really understand to where you are referring exactly, but maybe just north of campus. Farther north goes into the highlands and north Lincoln and those areas are not shacks at all and is very run of the mill suburbia. How about some honesty??


I'm sick of you babies and trailer park referenes. You're insulting 250,000 people you pompous jerk! How would you like it if people were bashing your way of life??

Look at the stats! Lincoln does NOT have a significantly larger family size than Omaha or any other place in the midwest! And if it did why does that make it a bad city? And your constant trailer park reference is just an ABSOLUTE LIE!!! I would be willing to guess that less than 0.1% of the homes in Lincoln are trailer homes...if that.

Thank you so much for posting this. They don't have a clue what they are talking about. I think they were lying when they said they have been to Lincoln and just want to make it sound like a terrible city.
THANK YOU!!!

[alligatorboy]

Originally Posted by MattDen

Ah well, the fact of the matter is Lincoln has alot of blighted areas. In fact the blight is so widespread that it has caused property tax rates to increase to amazing levels.

I guess living near UNL is blighted, I made a bad choice of neighborhood before I moved here. Most cities like Columbus (Short North), Pittsburgh (Oakland), Denver (Auraria), Colorado Springs (Old North End) all have beautiful neighborhoods next to there cities large college campuses. On the other hand next to UNL in Lincoln its mainly ugly little shacks with people who have baby after baby after baby. In Lincoln people are so backwards, primative and uncultured they think that there sole duty in life is to pro-crate one baby after another.

Besides who would want to live in a nice area of Lincoln where those people are soaked in high property taxes. And what exactly does Lincoln have for those high property taxes? Terrible roads, high violent crime rate, parks which are not as well maintained as most cities, abandoned buildings and a crappy library. Lincoln has 240,000 people and cities just a little bit bigger such as Pittsburgh and Cincinnati have library systems that make Lincoln's main library look like a dirty branch library.

Lincoln is in such bad shape that the streets are in horrible shape with foot in diameter holes in them and the sidewalks in many areas have nearly collapsed from not being fixed all because Lincolnites have so many babies that education takes up about 2/3rds of the Lincoln property tax rates.

Lincoln Public schools is 33,000 students for 239,000 population.
Minneapolis has just over 36,000 students for around 370,000 people
Pittsburgh, PA also has less students in there public schools and they are a city of around 315,000.

This just goes to show what happens when a place is based on nothing more but college students and people who have baby after baby after baby because this town lacks religious and political diversity and entertainment.

The people of Lincoln are so primative in there beliefs that they feel the main purpose of life is to have just one baby after enough.

In fact in Grand Island and Lexington they even have more babies. I believe when I was looking it up around 25% of Lexington, NE goes to primary schools many cities like Pittsburgh and Minneapolis are about 10% and some Seattle and San Francisco have even less students in there public school systems draining infrastructure.

Why are you posting so many negative comments about Lincoln? Seriously, don't post anything unless you KNOW what you are talking about. I am not an angry person, I just don't like it when people say bad things about a city when they obviously don't know the first thing about it.

[alligatorboy]

Originally Posted by cafe du monde

Question 1) What does everyone have against Matt Den? He seems pretty impartial to me, and is a good at listing facts on this thread.

Question 2) What is outside of Lincoln? Say, I hop on a freeway (do you have freeways??? Or are they called highways?? Or maybe just "roads?")
and drive west, out of town...what will I find? Are there rivers? Lakes? Farms? Forests? Fields? Mountains? Are there any good sized cities or towns west of Lincoln? It will be so odd to be driving in a place with no lights. The only time I experienced that was on the way back from Vegas, driving throught the desert, we got off on an exit called Zzyxx cause the guys needed to ****, and I swear to god, that exit was so friggin spooky cause there were no lights anywhere. I'm used to driving on very illuminated freeways, and I could have sworn a place like that existed only for murders and god knows what to happen. It will be strange to be a in place where I can see the stars clearly, and hear the crickets at night. It seems very peaceful, and when I think of that, I get the feeling that I might like it.

And no, I wasn't trying to be dramatic in saying that I will see horses and chickens walking around town. I just assumed that thats how Nebraskans spend their time, on account of all the farms and from the info of a brochure I got, on account of the "Big Rodeo" and all the places you can hunt and fish and do all the outdoorsy things. I am kinda looking forward to that I think--it'll be different, but not in a bad way. Who knows, I might enjoy it.

Yes, we have freeways, but here we call it the interstate. Interstates are only to go into bigger cities, or somewhere outside of the state. Otherwise, it would most likely be a highway. Nebraska has one of the highest speed limits in the country on highways and interstates. We are behind Texas, which is number one, if I remember right. The speed limit on interstates is 75, or 65 in construction zones. The highway speed limit is usually 65. Outside of Lincoln and Omaha, there are some areas that are very rural and would be quite a shock. There are cities that aren't very big, but they are still a city. No, there aren't really any cities west of Lincoln that are big.
I hardly ever see any wild animals inside of Lincoln. The other day, I actually saw a dead snake on the ground, which was probably about the same as seeing snow in Florida. In the rural areas, you will probably see a little more wildlife, but not much.
Grand Island is the third biggest city in Nebraska, and it only has a population of 42,940. For those of you wondering, it is not an island, and I don't know why they decided to call it that. We do have Omaha Beach. Or wait, no, that's in France. Sorry, no beach in Nebraska.
I just have to say this though: there are some people in Nebraska that have no interest in sports whatsoever, and that includes me. Then there are those that just go crazy over Husker football games. You would think it's a citywide holiday by the way some people are on gameday. Not that there is anything wrong with that.