I just moved from Alabama

How was it? I'm going to be attending Southern Maine University. I plan to live on campus for the semester while finding work then find a more permanent residence. My goal is to be an Attorney or Prosecutor.

Invest in a good warm set of winter gear to include: coat, hat/ear muffs, gloves/mittens, and snow boots and it wouldn't hurt to keep a blanket in your car

I've got that set. I'm worried about ny vehicle making it up there tho I've gotten a set of winter tires and changed all my fluids to hopefully prevent any freezing. Any other advice?

You don't need to put the snow tires on till there's actual snow on the ground and I've personally never used them. Also if you can avoid it don't drive during the first winter storm of the season as everyone seems to forget how to drive in wintery conditions during the summer

Ok thanks

It’s good so far getting the first flurries. I plan on being a game warden eventually . It’s nice here one thing you’ll discover is the lack of places

How so? I currently live in Northwest Alabama it's pretty bare in terms of places to see outside of going to Huntsville.

Get an ice scrapper and a snow shovel you can keep in the car. Drive SLOW on ice and snow. If you start to slide don't hit the brakes if you can help it or use the brakes very lightly if you have to. Always point the tires in the direction you want to go (people tend to over correct when they lose traction). In general Mainers are friendly, kind and helpful. Welcome to Maine and I truly hope you enjoy it here!

Thank you so much

Also find an empty parking lot with someone who knows how to drive in snow and let them teach you. At the very least, get a feel for how your car feels and handles in a slide. Also be aware that slush or snow outside the path worn down by other ppl driving will pull your car left or right into the tire tracks depending on speed

Well for starters, Huntsville has over 3x the population of our biggest city lol

Also slow down for turns. If it’s slick out, you might turn your wheel to make a 90 degree right-hand turn onto a side road, only to find that you’re only making a 45 degree turn because your wheels aren’t gripping and you have inertia moving straight. This can lead to you accidentally cross into the oncoming lane.

Be careful at stop signs as the snowbanks will block your view. You may need to stop, then creep slowly forward until you can see if you’re clear to go.

Ohh another good piece of advice: be careful on bridges and overpasses during the winter as they really do freeze before the road. We got off the highway one day and turned on the overpass, hit black ice and hit the guard rail on the other side. Always stay aware of yourself and others!

**We’re in a pretty big housing crisis between availability and cost, many Mainers are having trouble finding housing let alone people who are flocking in from out of state. Living on campus will help you here and will be helpful backup if you have trouble finding something more permanent 😊

Lobsters are bugs.

"Bub" is Maine's version of dude.

"Wicked" is not necessarily wicked.

"Dooryahd" is a front yard.

"At" is "to" As in, "She's upta camp, bub."

"Stove" means dented or damaged ....or generally fucked up. Example: If your car car got totalled you'd say, " She's stove all to hell, bub."

Coffee brandy.....a Downeast delight. Downeast starts wherever someone says it starts....usually a place where they drink coffee brandy. Downeast is up east. (This will all make sense in time) sort of. "We're goin' up Downeast....gonna get us a whole messa bugs and do'er up sumpthin' wicked, Bub."

Cumberland County is in New Hamster.

Aroostic County is in Canada, and it's called "The County"

People from Massachusetts are Massholes. Even the good ones.

People from CT and NY are just assholes.

People from anywhere other than Maine are "from away" And if you're from away you will never....never....ever be a Mainer.

> Alabama to Maine

> looking to make it home

> studying law and wanna practice in the state

Imagine someone from Maine moving to small town Alabama to be a lawyer. That’s what it will be like for you. You will have a very hard time building a business and getting clients.

Source: Maine lawyer

I was taught as a kid, in winter pretend you have a full glass of water on your dashboard, and drive like you can’t spill a single drop. So soft and slow turns, braking in advance, very gentle acceleration and deceleration etc. Maintain your speed to get up hills.

I recommend winter tires for sure. Some people uses all seasons but I am in a rural area and plowing is sometimes spotty.

I understand client base would be problematic if I was independent but I plan to either work with a firm or work with the the state. Either way I expect it to be a uphill fight but where I currently live the area is oversaturated with Lawyers so I feel like I'd have a better go at somewhere completely new as a fresh face.

> work with a firm

You’ll still need to develop a client base.

If you have a strong southern accent, you will have a VERY difficult time getting hired unless you’re top of your class, law review, etc. or unless you’re Atticus fucking Finch.

The sooner the better bub. All are welcome up heeyuh, just don't be a dick.

I agree with you on the client base my accent is strong but I understand the stigma surrounding it. If my aspirations to be attorney/lawyer couldn't be achieved what's the likely hood of landing a job as a paralegal?

> what’s the likely hood of landing a job as a paralegal?

Probably much better.

Thanks you for the warm internet welcome lol I'm still working out the kinks but I hope to make the most of the chance. Also I'll try not to be a dick

Ok I can work with that. Thank you I'm still weighing the pros and cons of my degree and the chances of being a fairly successful attorney in the state. I know being from out of state and also being from the south lowers my chances by a good margin but I hope to overcome that.

Oh I didn’t ever go north west Alabama always south where I lived and ,north and northeast bama there’s a lot of stuff around many places to eat

There is no Publix,aldies, no good sweet tea ,no moes, we don’t have a lot of chain stores

What stores are available and what are best for budget shopping?

I came to Maine as a lawyer from Massachusetts and it was still an uphill battle to get hired with law review and top 1% grades.

But you where still able to make it? If trying to work as Attorney fails there what are some states that you personally would recommend? I'm open to uprooting and moving anywhere (exceptions being: California and Alabama)

Yes, but it turns out I just wasn’t very good at being a lawyer lol.

We are short lawyers, they are going into retirement and we don't have really any lawyers to replace them. So its a great avenue here.

I hope this is the case it's been my dream to be an Attorney prosecutor. I would have like to do it here in my home state and town but the area I live in and surrounding has a high volume of lawyers some just now starting. I've only been to Maine a handful of times mainly to go see Acadia national park and Ive thought the state was lovely and seemed like a good place to settle down that wasn't too dissimilar from my home.

Actually, you should arrange to get the snow tires on NOW. It will take a month to get the appointment.

Part of Maine had it's first measurable snow last night.

If you are interested in criminal defense, there is a need for lawyers in that area. Maine had no public defender system, so the state contracts with lawyers willing to take it on. This may change by the time you get out of law school and pass the bar, but it is something to consider.

It should not matter, but try to lose the accent. Listen to the radio a lot and practice talking when you are alone.

I'm very much interested in criminal defense! I actually have my associates in criminal justice. I will try my best to lose the accent but I slip when I get overly excited or angry. Thank you for the advice.

It's actually the University of Southern Maine (USM) but if you are going to the law school (which is on the USM campus) it is the University of Maine School of Law. Someone will correct me if I am wrong, but I don't believe there is any on campus housing on the Portland campus of USM (where the law school is). They are building a dorm (I think) but right now, all the dorms are on the Gorham campus, which is about a 30 minute commute to get to Portland.

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Time well spent. Kudos!

They play lotsa Neil Young in Maine... and he sings about you.

So, if you've changed all your fluids, did you change from Southern Comfort to Fireball Whiskey?

Yes, we do need you. We need disability lawyers, injury lawyers. I know for sure. We need basically defense lawyers of all kinds. We are in dire need and its a beautiful place.

Study law in Maine so you can pass the bar to practice Maine law. That stuff they teach down south will not help you up here.

It's not that dire.

Very few fresh out of law school have a client base. Or any clients for that matter. Learn the law, do some internships or clerkships, pass the bar, get to work.

Why aim low? That is not how you get ahead.

"work as Attorney"

Too broad.

Narrow the areas of the law you will practice in. An area you currently are not interested in may be the area you practice in simply because that is where the need rests.

Maine does not have a huge amount of large industry, ie, "large business clients," and those that are here are tied up by the bigger firms. You might consider criminal defense (DUI galore), family law, estates & trusts (wills), personal injury (MVA's) or learning the insurance coverage game. It could take a while to become established. Be patient. If you are prone to give up easily, stay south of Maryland.

Don't worry about the accent.

Those accused of wrongdoing will not care. They want competent counsel.

Wear layers. You can always take off a layer of you are too hot, but if you didn’t bring it with you to wear, you can’t add a layer if you are cold.

Make sure your boots have good treads on them so you don’t slip on ice walking from your car to work.

Cross country skiing and snowshoeing are good ways to get outside and have fun during the winter.

Always clear your windshield of snow, ice and frost before you drive. Clear the top of your car off so snow falling off your car doesn’t damage some one else’s.

When driving during snow, sleet or black ice, change lanes slowly, ie, over a much greater distance than you would during dry weather. This allows your tires to maintain their traction on the road. Do not stomp on your brakes as this can also cause you to lose traction. I have been driving in NE’s worst weather for over 50 years first as ski patrol then as a healthcare professional. People going too fast for the conditions is the number one cause of people off the road. The number one cause of the big pileups you see in the news are people traveling too close. Do not let other drivers bully you into going faster than you feel you can safely drive given your lack of experience.

Should you go into a skid, turn the wheel in the direction of the skid. If you rear end is sliding to the right, turn your wheel towards the right. Don’t stomp on the brakes! It is some themes helpful for a person new to snowy weather to practice in an empty parking lot.

There are many great places to eat in Maine, especially seafood. The Portland area has a wonderful assortment of ethnic restaurants as well.

The best advice I can give you is to relax and enjoy all the different seasons and opportunities that Maine has to offer.

And the last storm of the season

People from Downeast bring their cousins to prom, unless their mom insists on going instead. They also confuse where New Hampshit starts and where Maine ends. Cumberland County doesn’t even border NH.

Once you live here longer than you’ve lived anywhere else, then you’re a Mainer. You’re a transplant Mainer, and not a Die-Hard Mainah- but once you’ve been here long enough and have fully embraced the way of the Mainiac, you’re one of us.

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Hannaford is is ok sometimes and Walmart . I don’t really know to much yet just moved up here . The prices for meat here is way better than were I used to live