Norfolk: Northeast Community College (Omaha, Lincoln: 2010, rent, credit)

[kibitzJoe]

I'm a 19 year old guy thinking very seriously about moving to Norfolk and attending Northeast Community College for the 2010 school year. Questions:

1. How is the school? I have heard good things about it and I'm very attracted by the low tuition.

2. How is housing? I would like to spend as little as possible on rent and I don't mind living in an old or ugly place.

3. Part time jobs. What kind of wages? Right now I'm working at a Walmart Distribution center making $16.75 an hour. I very much doubt I'll find part time employment for those wages but anything in the $8-10 range? I'm a good worker. However I don't mind making minimum if there's nothing else.

4. Stuff to do. Anything I can do that's cheap or free?

5. Friends and churches. Will I find people in my age group there that aren't partying alcoholics and care about making somethings of themselves? I'm no snob but frankly I get tired of people who can't imagine how it's possible to have fun without alcohol involved.

[JustMe_T3K]

1. The school is good and they advertise the transfer of credits to Wayne state college,
but I am unsure of the transferability to other state unis.
2. Housing can be had cheaply, but you get what you pay for.
3. Norfolk has a Super Walmart, maybe you can work some sort of transfer to try and retain
some of your pay and or benefits.
4. Stuff to do?? depends on what you like to do and where you make your friends.
5. Lot of different churches and good place to meet quality friends.

Where are you coming from: in or out of state, cold or warm climate, big metro or the sticks, etc.

[kibitzJoe]

The (almost) sticks. I'm from North Platte, NE, which is even more isolated than Norfolk. I'm told the winters in Norfolk are much colder but I lived in Northern Pennsylvania for three years so it won't be too unfamiliar. Really I think Norfolk will be a step up and it'll be nice to live closer (ie, within two hours) to three significant cities.

[Flat Water 1867]

I can't imagine how the winters in Norfolk are significantly colder than North Platte. But even if it is noticeably colder, I think you'll find that life in Norfolk is an undeniable step up from life in North Platte. Norfolk is a nice town. This state needs ten more small cities just like it. Anyway, best of luck to you if you move!

[kibitzJoe]

Originally Posted by Flat Water 1867

...I think you'll find that life in Norfolk is an undeniable step up from life in North Platte. Norfolk is a nice town.

Could you expand? In what ways is it nicer?

[Flat Water 1867]

Well, kibitzJoe, I think you answered your own question with the good points you made about North Platte in the "What's Up With North Platte?" thread from last month. Really, I just never hear anything good about North Platte like I do other Neb. communities of the same size. (Kearney, Hastings, Columbus, Norfolk, Fremont, and Scottsbluff.) Believe me, being a Nebraska enthusiast, I pay attention to what people are saying about those towns and I just hear way more negative than positive about North Platte. Especially from people who have lived there and have NO desire to ever live there again. From what I hear, it's not a town that is particularly pleasing to the eye, either; kinda trashy and dumpy. Now, by no means is Norfolk perfect. Like any town of 25,000, you are going to have drugs and some crime. But I think you will encounter far more people who are progressive and civic-minded in Norfolk than you have in North Platte. The college helps Norfolk be a nicer community in my opinion--more support for the arts and education, for instance. More people take pride in city parks and they also take pride in their homes and lawns. But, like I said, you made great points in last month's North Platte thread, so I think that you are wise enough to recognize and appreciate the differences if you do make it to Norfolk. Let us know how it goes!

[itsMeFred]

uhhh... There's a community college in North Platte, too.
So far as the rest of your theories... Well, I grew up near Norfolk and currently live near North Platte.

I much prefer North Platte.
(And no, kibitz, there's not a whole lot of difference between the winters. lol)

[Flat Water 1867]

Fred,
I'm glad you enjoy North Platte. I stand by what I said. When I say that I have heard way more negatives than positives about N.P. from former residents and recent visitors, that's not a "theory", that's a fact of my life experience.
Having read kibitzJoe's assesment of North Platte dated Sept. 7 from the "What is up with North Platte?" thread, it is my opinion that he would enjoy Norfolk as a community more than North Platte. By the way, why didn't you weigh in on that North Platte thread last month? If someone like you actually likes N.P., then by all means, you should be heard!

[itsMeFred]

My apologies for occasionally missing threads... lol

And I'm also laughing at the idea that joe thinks he's not going to see those exact same problems in Norfolk. But, I guess this is just one of those things he's going to have to figure out on his own.

He is right though that Norfolk is closer to Omahanlincoln. But then the question becomes: If one wants to be near a big city, why not go to the city in the first place??

[kibitzJoe]

I'm not looking to live in a utopia. I can stand living in a lousy city. Three years in Bradford, Pennsylvania and three years in North Platte will lower your standards a lot. Really it'll come down to the quality of the school.

North Platte's community college is much smaller than Northeast. It only has about 600 students. (Most college students here go to Lincoln or UNK.) I took one semester of classes that I'm hoping to transfer. Also, it doesn't offer anything remotely pertaining to recording technology, which is the primary reason I haven't continued classes there. And the reason I'm interested in Northeast instead of UNL or UNK is because of the tuition rates. I'm paying for college myself and I want to avoid debt as much as possible.

I'm going to be visiting the town and campus in two weeks. Any suggestions, Fred? What do you dislike about the town?