The University of Maine

Date: Feb 03 2003
Major: Unknown (This Major's Salary over time)
I'm a new media major at this school, which is a new and upcoming major, dealing with the future of information, technology, and delivery. And I have LOTS of comments.

First, I'm getting ready to transfer. This is NOT the school for me. I live in the CT/NYC area and I'm used to a very different lifestyle. I find that the people here are homogenous, generally unstimulating, and totally lacking animation. It's like the walk of the clones around here. Instead of just mentioning things, I'll do a pro/con list to simplify:

Pros:

1) The internet/intranet is GREAT here. Fast as hell with few limitations. I only wish everyone could be connected like this. But when the system goes down, it takes a long time to get back up.

2) Teachers, in the right departments, are fantastic. I found amazing physics teachers, new media, and various other randoms. But I haven't found one fully functional great department.

3) Financial Aid dept. is very helpful in new transitions and whatever other advice you need.

4) Disability services on campus are FANTASTIC. I have ADHD and they have helped me enormously through a number of freak health problems along the way.

5) Drinking and partying can be found anywhere. Maybe to excess.

6) There are smoking rooms, which made the experience tollerable.

7) You can enter to get on campus apartments as you gain seniority and live with 5 other people in a pretty nice apartment. But you gamble on not getting a place to stay.

8) Vacations are typically great. 2 weeks for spring break, 1 month for christmas, 1 week thanksgiving. NO national holidays though.

Cons:

1) Schoolwork is often overbearing and unbelievable. I was prepared for a lot of work, but not all nighters all the time. Teachers often can be cold if you don't approach them correctly about issues/questions/problems. And I'm pretty good with people.

2) Social life is the same old thing. If you're not into frats, drinking in your room, or the ONE club in a 20 mile radius, don't come here. And by club I mean a disco ball and dry wall.

3) Town offers about as much exictement as sleeping.

4) Variety is nothing. Even the people look all the same. Diversity on this campus is entirely quota based, and only because of the athletic teams.

5) I love snow. Now, I hate it. We had 12 inches last night and school in the day. Basically, if you can feasibly move at all out of your door, you're going to class.

6) Finding events worth going to, or even finding them at ALL is like finding a needle in a haystack.

7) Trends are about 2 years behind up here.

8) People move slowly up here. Imagine the paperwork going about 1/10 of the speed you're used to, and you're still at a better school.

9) If you don't have a car, or know someone who does, you may never have a life outside of campus.

10) Cafeteria food stayed in the system for about 20-25 minutes. We used to have dates in the bathroom and schedule times.

11) Campus is large. No real bus system to speak of. I walked over 3 miles a day for classes. Try covering 1 mile in a 10 minute break between classes in 8 inches of snow, -10 degrees and it's snowing sideways…

12) Registration for classes is ridiculous. You have to see your advisor get your registration number, have your classes planned out, and half the time it doesn't work out at all. JUST went to online registration this year, and it barely barely worked. The system is so overloaded that you have to plan on spending 1 hr+ on the phone or computer or both. Redial gets worn away, and often you get booted before you login on either one. It's aggravating too because registration starts at midnight and sometimes you have 8am tests the next day.

13) I had one chemistry lab teacher say to the class:

I teach you chemistry, you teach me english.

I switched that day.

14) Add/drop is less than a week at the beginning of the semester. If you add a class at the end of that time, you're already really far behind.

15) You get one weekend before finals, no added study time.

16) I had a lot of trouble interacting socially up here. I have NEVER had that problem. I'm a little older than most around here, but regardless. I've been all over the US and here is the ONLY place I feel disconnected from people. They're aliens, I swear.

17) People here are friendly, but only on a superficial level. Hard to explain, but it always seems fake. It's oddly narcissistic, but not in a way I could explain.

18) I miss living near the water.

19) The highway (if you're an out of stater) is long and boring. 50 exits take 3 hrs.

20) If you're used to a faster lifestyle, stay away.

I think that about covers it point to point.