Floridian to Portland area? Any advice? (Bangor, South Portland: 2010, apartment, crime)

[fcla16]

Hey all,

So I am currently a college student working towards my AA at a local community college. After I receive that (in May 2010 most likely) I'll need to transfer to a four-year university.

In my search I wanted four things:

• actual SEASONS (down here in Ft. Lauderdale, we only have spring, summer, sauna, and hurricane season)
• Nice area (ie. having a good rep.)
• Not a huge city, but not a cornfield
• and preferably out of the state of Florida

So, one school that I am really leaning towards is the University of Southern Maine. It looks like an awesome school, the staff there (the ones I talked to at least) seemed kind, and it looked like it was in an area where I could feel safe. (now, so you understand, I don't expect a place where virtually NO CRIME happens, but I don't want NYC either)

So, what kind of advice would you give to a student looking to move in your area? I've never seen snow, so I know the first winter will be FREEZING, but I'm up for that .

Also, I am possibly (it's not set in stone yet) going to visit the area the first week of March in 2009. What's the weather like this time of year?


Thanks in advance

[lrfox]

Hi,

Where to start...

First, I'm a USM Grad (Int'll Business). I have said this a few times on the forum I really don't recommend USM. No, it's not the worst school ever, but it's certainly not a great one. I'd personally rank it the 3rd best school in the University of Maine system (I am also not familiar with many of the smaller schools and that's part of the reason I can't rank them higher than USM). I transferred here from the University of Maine at Farmington which, while smaller, was a far superior college (UMaine Orono, the flagship school is the best in the system, btw and a GREAT state university).

USM has shown some fiscal irresponsibility in recent years and has the deep debt to show for it. As of this past summer, they've embarked on a VERY expensive marketing campaign which wile costly, they hope will increase the number of applicants (specifically from out of state). USM, like any other school, tends to be very optomistic and positive when dealing with potential applicants which may be part of what you've experienced with the friendly staff... they're desperate to attract new students. There's a decent amount of turnover with staff (more than at Farmington and other colleges I took some credits at) and MANY are unhappy with and mock the administration. I feel that there is heavy friction between professors (in any department) and administrators. Friends and myself spent a lot of time going in circles trying to find answers to questions with registration, graduation, etc.

That being said, it IS an easy school to adjust to for a commuter student. It's not hard to find or navigate around asboth primary campuses, Portland and Gorham are easy to find and quite small. Since it is Maine, the people tend to be (for the most part), pretty friendly. Classes are not too difficult for the most part (I took more difficult classes while earning cheap credits at a community college), but that's all relative to the professor and the subject. Finally, it IS cheaper than state schools elsewhere.

On to Portland...

Portland is a BEAUTIFUL little city. It's picturesque and quaintly nestled on a hilly section of pristine coastline. It's very affordable by New England standards, and the people are fairly progressive and more friendly than anywhere else in the Northeast. More importantly maybe, it's VERY safe. There is no such thing as a bad neighborhood in Portland. It is however, tiny. When you said not a "big city" but not a "cornfield," Portland fits the bill, but does lean more closely to the "cornfield" side. Portland is less than 1/3 the size of Ft. Lauderdale, so it's MUCH smaller than what you're used to.

Things to consider: If you enjoy nightlife and shopping, Portland may not be for you. There is a decent mall, but it's very little and doesn't have the widest array of stores. There are some boutiques and shops in town, but not a ton. The nightlife is VERY different than what you'll find in South Florida (which may be a GREAT thing depending on who you are). Up here, there are pubs... that's it. Do not expect upscale nightlife to any degree, it does not exist in Portland; this means no clubs ("dancing"-if you can call it that- takes place at a few of the pubs on small dance floors), no trendy lounges... nothing of that sort. There is a small live local music scene that you can take part in at various bars and pubs that is not bad, but not big at all.

If you're into arts, Portland is a good little town for that. There are a bunch of artists and plenty of little galleries around to browse. There are a lot of restaurants... mostly in the lower and mid-scale. You won't find any of the creative, trendy, unique cuisine that you can find in places like Ft. Lauderdale, Miami and WPB; but dining in Portland isn't bad.

If you're the outdoorsy type, Portland is a gold mine. In Portland, you're within close proximity to the Mountains and the Ocean. Whatever you like to do outdoors can be easily found within an hour's drive.

As far as the weather goes, yes... it's cold. It can potentially snow here from November (though November is rarely a snowy month)- April (again, April isn't usually too bad, but it can and has snowed before). Note that Maine doesn't have a "Spring"... it's what is called, "Mud Season" (read on for an explaination). Personally, my least favorite time to be in Maine is April- June. The bugs are out, the snow's melting so the ground everywhere is a muddy, mucky mess and it's just miserable. The winters are tough, but you learn to adapt... come up expecting hell and you'll be pleasantly surprised when it's not that bad. Layers is key do dressing for the winter and if you do it properly you'll find that a freezing cold day is much easier to deal with than a super hot one (easier to warm up outside than it is to keep cool). Summers and early Fall are BEAUTIFUL here. the weather is pleasant and the scenery is beautiful (though winter is pretty as well). March will be chilly if you come up then but weather can be fairly volatile. One March day can be 30 degrees and Snowy and the next can be 55-60 degrees and sunny (60 degrees feels GREAT when you've been up here for a while, btw). I would expect some snow on the ground in March, but it won't be as bitter as February, January or December.

I would advise you to do what you plan and come up and see the area for yourself before you make the decision. Spend at least a week and remember that you'll be LIVING here... if you can't keep fully entertained for a week, then how's it going to be when you live here?

What is your degree program? If you decide that Portland isn't exactly your cup of tea, I have a few New England State College suggestions that you may want to look into (certainly depending on what you're studying): First, if Portland feels too big (and I doubt it will), the University of Vermont in Burlington is a great (albeit, ultra liberal) place to be. It's about 1/2 the size of Portland, on a big lake, and has about everything you'd want from a college town. Westfield State in Westfield MA is a good option too as it's right next to Northampton which is a smaller city but with a lot to do (also very liberal). Westfield is also about 20 minutes from Springfield MA (pop 150,000) which has many of the Urban things you'd look for.

If you want BIGGER than Portland (but still not big... or even medium sized) going to University of Rhode Island may be a good choice. Close to the coast, medium sized school and right next to Providence RI which is second only to Boston when it comes to culture, nightlife, dining and all things urban in New England. It's personally my second favorite New England city (after Boston) and is home to tons of college kids. It's a beautiful and fun place and might make for a relatively easier transition from Ft. Lauderdale as they're comparable in size and share a similar relativity to larger, nearby cities.

That being said, enjoy your visit to Portland and I hope this post was somewhat helpful. Let me know if there are any other questions. We also have one very helpful member, Ft. Lauderdale Mermaid, who is familiar with your neck of the woods... she's traveling from Florida to Maine today for Thanksgiving, I bet she can offer some useful advice.

*edit* sorry for the long post; hope you can pull at least one bit of useful info out of this!

[fcla16]

Wow, thanks for the long post! I'm honored that you took so much time to respond to my questions

Now to respond to each piece:

Originally Posted by lrfox

Hi,

Where to start...

First, I'm a USM Grad (Int'll Business). I have said this a few times on the forum I really don't recommend USM. No, it's not the worst school ever, but it's certainly not a great one. I'd personally rank it the 3rd best school in the University of Maine system (I am also not familiar with many of the smaller schools and that's part of the reason I can't rank them higher than USM). I transferred here from the University of Maine at Farmington which, while smaller, was a far superior college (UMaine Orono, the flagship school is the best in the system, btw and a GREAT state university).

USM has shown some fiscal irresponsibility in recent years and has the deep debt to show for it. As of this past summer, they've embarked on a VERY expensive marketing campaign which wile costly, they hope will increase the number of applicants (specifically from out of state). USM, like any other school, tends to be very optomistic and positive when dealing with potential applicants which may be part of what you've experienced with the friendly staff... they're desperate to attract new students. There's a decent amount of turnover with staff (more than at Farmington and other colleges I took some credits at) and MANY are unhappy with and mock the administration. I feel that there is heavy friction between professors (in any department) and administrators. Friends and myself spent a lot of time going in circles trying to find answers to questions with registration, graduation, etc.

That being said, it IS an easy school to adjust to for a commuter student. It's not hard to find or navigate around asboth primary campuses, Portland and Gorham are easy to find and quite small. Since it is Maine, the people tend to be (for the most part), pretty friendly. Classes are not too difficult for the most part (I took more difficult classes while earning cheap credits at a community college), but that's all relative to the professor and the subject. Finally, it IS cheaper than state schools elsewhere.

Thank you for this valuable insight into the school. I'll be sure to look into UMaine in Orono. I've already looked into Farmington, and though it's seems like a great school, I'm not sure it's the right one for me.

What is the closest airport to Orono? What is the area like around there? How far is it from Portland?

Originally Posted by lrfox

On to Portland...

Portland is a BEAUTIFUL little city. It's picturesque and quaintly nestled on a hilly section of pristine coastline. It's very affordable by New England standards, and the people are fairly progressive and more friendly than anywhere else in the Northeast. More importantly maybe, it's VERY safe. There is no such thing as a bad neighborhood in Portland. It is however, tiny. When you said not a "big city" but not a "cornfield," Portland fits the bill, but does lean more closely to the "cornfield" side. Portland is less than 1/3 the size of Ft. Lauderdale, so it's MUCH smaller than what you're used to.

Things to consider: If you enjoy nightlife and shopping, Portland may not be for you. There is a decent mall, but it's very little and doesn't have the widest array of stores. There are some boutiques and shops in town, but not a ton. The nightlife is VERY different than what you'll find in South Florida (which may be a GREAT thing depending on who you are). Up here, there are pubs... that's it. Do not expect upscale nightlife to any degree, it does not exist in Portland; this means no clubs ("dancing"-if you can call it that- takes place at a few of the pubs on small dance floors), no trendy lounges... nothing of that sort. There is a small live local music scene that you can take part in at various bars and pubs that is not bad, but not big at all.

I'm not really into the nightlife, honestly. I'm more of a sit at home and read a book type. So this really wouldn't bother me to much.

As for shopping, is there a walmart near by? Or a target? That's the usual spot I shop now anyway. I can't afford much more lol.

Originally Posted by lrfox

If you're into arts, Portland is a good little town for that. There are a bunch of artists and plenty of little galleries around to browse. There are a lot of restaurants... mostly in the lower and mid-scale. You won't find any of the creative, trendy, unique cuisine that you can find in places like Ft. Lauderdale, Miami and WPB; but dining in Portland isn't bad.

I love the arts, mainly theater. Is there a lot of community theater in the area? Or at least a company or two?

Originally Posted by lrfox

If you're the outdoorsy type, Portland is a gold mine. In Portland, you're within close proximity to the Mountains and the Ocean. Whatever you like to do outdoors can be easily found within an hour's drive.

Theses are things that drew me toward Portland. I love the ocean (about the only thing I like about down here), but I've always imagined living near mountains as well.

Originally Posted by lrfox

As far as the weather goes, yes... it's cold. It can potentially snow here from November (though November is rarely a snowy month)- April (again, April isn't usually too bad, but it can and has snowed before). Note that Maine doesn't have a "Spring"... it's what is called, "Mud Season" (read on for an explaination). Personally, my least favorite time to be in Maine is April- June. The bugs are out, the snow's melting so the ground everywhere is a muddy, mucky mess and it's just miserable. The winters are tough, but you learn to adapt... come up expecting hell and you'll be pleasantly surprised when it's not that bad. Layers is key do dressing for the winter and if you do it properly you'll find that a freezing cold day is much easier to deal with than a super hot one (easier to warm up outside than it is to keep cool). Summers and early Fall are BEAUTIFUL here. the weather is pleasant and the scenery is beautiful (though winter is pretty as well). March will be chilly if you come up then but weather can be fairly volatile. One March day can be 30 degrees and Snowy and the next can be 55-60 degrees and sunny (60 degrees feels GREAT when you've been up here for a while, btw). I would expect some snow on the ground in March, but it won't be as bitter as February, January or December.

That sounds like good weather. I guess I'll have to get a heavier coat though just in case.

Originally Posted by lrfox

I would advise you to do what you plan and come up and see the area for yourself before you make the decision. Spend at least a week and remember that you'll be LIVING here... if you can't keep fully entertained for a week, then how's it going to be when you live here?

Like I said, I don't think it'd be to different then what I do here, considering I don't party much. I prefer, as my friends call, "the simple life". The fact that Boston isn't to far is good for the few times when I'd want to experience more.

Originally Posted by lrfox

What is your degree program? If you decide that Portland isn't exactly your cup of tea, I have a few New England State College suggestions that you may want to look into (certainly depending on what you're studying): First, if Portland feels too big (and I doubt it will), the University of Vermont in Burlington is a great (albeit, ultra liberal) place to be. It's about 1/2 the size of Portland, on a big lake, and has about everything you'd want from a college town. Westfield State in Westfield MA is a good option too as it's right next to Northampton which is a smaller city but with a lot to do (also very liberal). Westfield is also about 20 minutes from Springfield MA (pop 150,000) which has many of the Urban things you'd look for.

If you want BIGGER than Portland (but still not big... or even medium sized) going to University of Rhode Island may be a good choice. Close to the coast, medium sized school and right next to Providence RI which is second only to Boston when it comes to culture, nightlife, dining and all things urban in New England. It's personally my second favorite New England city (after Boston) and is home to tons of college kids. It's a beautiful and fun place and might make for a relatively easier transition from Ft. Lauderdale as they're comparable in size and share a similar relativity to larger, nearby cities.

I'm planning on majoring in Elementary Education, but we'll be sure next semester when I take my Intro to Teaching and actually experience being in a classroom.

Thanks for the additional school suggestions. I'll be sure to look into them .

Originally Posted by lrfox

That being said, enjoy your visit to Portland and I hope this post was somewhat helpful. Let me know if there are any other questions. We also have one very helpful member, Ft. Lauderdale Mermaid, who is familiar with your neck of the woods... she's traveling from Florida to Maine today for Thanksgiving, I bet she can offer some useful advice.

*edit* sorry for the long post; hope you can pull at least one bit of useful info out of this!

Thanks again for your help! I really appreciate it

[lrfox]

O.K.... after reading your responses, it seems like you would be an EXCELLENT fit for Portland and you have done your research. Thanks for breaking down my novel...errr...response. The reason for my skepticism is that many people make the move to Portland and USM for school after hearing about how cool and trendy of a place it is and then realize that it doesn't offer all of that they're looking for and become miserable (and transfer back out to bigger cities or their hometown). It seems that you have realistic hopes and expectations for this place and as a result you'll probably throroughly enjoy it.

Orono and Farmington are great schools, but they're not really located near any sizeable areas. Orono is about 2-2.5 hours from Portland and right near the city of Bangor which is tiny (33,000). Bangor has an airport with commercial service which you would use if you went to school there.

Portland has some company theater and a pretty strong performing arts presence for a city its size. I'm not really involved with the theater, but you wouldn't have trouble finding a company. I'm pretty sure USM has one.

As far the weather goes, it's not as bad as people make it out to be (esp. the people in Florida). Portland is milder than the rest of Maine. A heavy coat would be a good investment.

Elementary ed. is not exactly USMs strong point (actually, Farmington is known for that... but again, it's in the sticks), but it's not a bad program either. It'll end up being what you make it and considering the effort it seems like your putting into this decision, you'll do just fine.

Target, Walmart, Kohls, and all of the other basic chains are located right next door in South Portland and Falmouth (and Scarborough). They have a mall (the "Maine Mall") and though it's small it has a reasonable selection and it's easy to access.

Boston isn't far. it's a simple train ride if you don't want to chance driving there (picture the aggressiveness of Miami drivers except with a street grid and highways that seem to make no sense).

It sounds like you'd really like Portland, it truly is a simpler way of life, but not isolated or devoid of life by any means. I hope this second (more brief) provides a litle more insight. Enjoy your trip up and good luck in school!

[fcla16]

Originally Posted by lrfox

O.K.... after reading your responses, it seems like you would be an EXCELLENT fit for Portland and you have done your research. Thanks for breaking down my novel...errr...response. The reason for my skepticism is that many people make the move to Portland and USM for school after hearing about how cool and trendy of a place it is and then realize that it doesn't offer all of that they're looking for and become miserable (and transfer back out to bigger cities or their hometown). It seems that you have realistic hopes and expectations for this place and as a result you'll probably throroughly enjoy it.

Orono and Farmington are great schools, but they're not really located near any sizeable areas. Orono is about 2-2.5 hours from Portland and right near the city of Bangor which is tiny (33,000). Bangor has an airport with commercial service which you would use if you went to school there.

Portland has some company theater and a pretty strong performing arts presence for a city its size. I'm not really involved with the theater, but you wouldn't have trouble finding a company. I'm pretty sure USM has one.

As far the weather goes, it's not as bad as people make it out to be (esp. the people in Florida). Portland is milder than the rest of Maine. A heavy coat would be a good investment.

Elementary ed. is not exactly USMs strong point (actually, Farmington is known for that... but again, it's in the sticks), but it's not a bad program either. It'll end up being what you make it and considering the effort it seems like your putting into this decision, you'll do just fine.

Target, Walmart, Kohls, and all of the other basic chains are located right next door in South Portland and Falmouth (and Scarborough). They have a mall (the "Maine Mall") and though it's small it has a reasonable selection and it's easy to access.

Boston isn't far. it's a simple train ride if you don't want to chance driving there (picture the aggressiveness of Miami drivers except with a street grid and highways that seem to make no sense).

It sounds like you'd really like Portland, it truly is a simpler way of life, but not isolated or devoid of life by any means. I hope this second (more brief) provides a litle more insight. Enjoy your trip up and good luck in school!

I'm glad you feel that Portland would be a great city for me. From all the research I've done (and yes, I've done a bit. I research when I don't know or am uneasy about something) it seems like a great fit. I just felt asking someone from the area would benefit also. My BF isn't to happy with me thinking I'll like it, he swears the weather will scare me back south. But he's being a sport and ever says that if I love it there he'll come with me lol.

I saw the Concord Coaches and Amtrak already, so all I'd need to see is how to get to the Portland bus station. I have family in Boston, so being picked up at the other end won't be an issue.

Thanks for taking the time to reply to me twice

[Dirk Bonner]

Originally Posted by fcla16

I saw the Concord Coaches and Amtrak already, so all I'd need to see is how to get to the Portland bus station. I have family in Boston, so being picked up at the other end won't be an issue.

Thanks for taking the time to reply to me twice

You can take a bus, or simply hitch a ride with a friend. There aren't great distances between any points in the area.

Portland is a great 'little' city for younger people. You will like it, but bring warm clothing....or buy it in the area...probably more selection than in Florida..LOL.

[fcla16]

Originally Posted by Dirk Bonner

You can take a bus, or simply hitch a ride with a friend. There aren't great distances between any points in the area.

Portland is a great 'little' city for younger people. You will like it, but bring warm clothing....or buy it in the area...probably more selection than in Florida..LOL.

Yeah, Florida doesn't sell many snowsuits. It's funny, because everyone here thinks 50s is freezing, but I'm the odd ball. Some of them was born up north, but I was born here and wearing a tanktop in that weather lol.

Every time I look (and I'm a dork, I research a lot...) I love what I see more and more. Here's hoping I'll get to go in March

Thanks for responding

[genmomto5]

A new student apartment building just opened close to USM. Every time I drive by I think how nice it would have been to live there as a colege student. This is just a drive by vibe, I haven't been in but you may want to check in to it. It's on Marginal Way. I think it's called Bayside Village.

[K-Luv]

Originally Posted by genmomto5

A new student apartment building just opened close to USM. Every time I drive by I think how nice it would have been to live there as a colege student. This is just a drive by vibe, I haven't been in but you may want to check in to it. It's on Marginal Way. I think it's called Bayside Village.

A friend of mine lives in Bayside Village and it seems like a good alternative to dorm living. Basically a 4 or 6 room 'apartment' complete with a full kitchen and bathroom and living room/dining room/common area. Any vacant bedroom will be locked, but at least you still have plenty of space when compared to a traditional dorm.

[lrfox]

^The problem is that they still want you to pay $560/ month for what is essentially a room-share with 4 or 6 other rooms. The living rooms are small and the bedrooms have about enough room for a twin bed, dresser, and small computer desk. For the money, you'd be better off looking for a two bedroom apt and finding a roommate; $1,120 (the $560 cost x2) would get you one hell of a 2 bedroom apt in Portland and you'd have a lot more personal space.

Bayside is a great way to meet new people because you'll be thrust into a living situation with 3-5 other people right away, but it's hardly a great value given the cost. If you want to meet new people right away, it may be an option; but if you're looking for a better deal on housing, you'd be better off getting an apartment (even studio apts. can be found in Portland for $500).