Dedicated Insider readers that you are, your perceptions of Concord have no doubt been influenced by the sophisticated and enthralling coverage of the city we provide on a weekly basis. So obviously you think this is the greatest place on Earth to live.
But what if you were a hip, young law student fresh to the Concord scene? Not only would you be preparing for 70-hour weeks and pouring over piles of legal briefs, you'd also be forming initial impressions of our beautiful capital city.
And what are those impressions? The Insider stopped over at the University of New Hampshire School of Law to explore that very topic.
Some things became clear almost immediately: Free time is little more than a theoretical Holy Grail to first-year students (“One-Ls” in law-student speak), while veterans begin to work more socializing into their weekly schedule.
Students routinely described Concord as cute, safe and small. Caleb Hogan of Arkansas politely explained that “there aren't a lot of distractions” for studious newcomers. Concord indeed appears to be the perfect place to curl up with a few hundred law books.
“It's like the Stephen King books, but in a good way,” Gillian Lawlor of Austin, Texas, said, pointing not to a horror vibe but rather the quintessential New England qualities Concord possesses. “Everyone has a really cool accent.”
Several students had either worked or interned in cities like Manhattan or Hoboken, N.J., and didn't mind the change to a slower pace, especially with Boston about an hour away.
“It works for me as a law student because there's stuff going on but it's a smaller city,” Nathan Newbold, who grew up in St. Louis and Kansas City, said.
(Continued on page 16)Erica Larocque referred to it as “a little big city,” and Susan Zucco – one of those who previously worked in both Manhattan and Hoboken – called the move a “big adjustment” but liked it because “there's nature, and I needed that for law school.”
Downtown Concord was popular among students because it is within walking distance of both the school and many student apartments.
“I like Concord because it has an actual downtown,” Ted Sisson, a second-year student from Worcester, Mass., said. “I've never lived anywhere with an anytown, USA main street. It's like being at Disney World with stuff in all the store fronts.”
Downtown also tended to be where students went for evening entertainment. The Barley House, the Green Martini and Penuche's Ale House were easily the three most referenced watering holes/restaurants, but others that students frequent included The Draft and Cheers.
Students admitted to being big into the bar trivia circuit, taking advantage of the Barley House's contest on Wednesdays and a Cheers offering on Fridays.
Law students are still students, of course, and though many may find lucrative gigs upon graduation, money is still tight. For that reason, spots like Dos Amigos burritos and the Olive Garden – home of the soup, salad and breadsticks lunch deal – were also popular haunts.
Some students said they often opted to stay in with friends, enjoying “porch parties” or playing poker at local apartments. Kelly Donahue of Winter Park, Maine, said she and other students have taken in shows at the Capital Center for the Arts and enjoyed wine tasting events at Butters. She also said students visit local yoga studios or enjoy outdoor recreation such as biking and hiking.
The city may have found at least two permanent residents in Jake Sullivan and his girlfriend Stephanie Stracqualursi, both of Raleigh, N.C. The pair applied to 12 law schools and toured them all, visiting UNH Law while the power was out following a February 2010 wind storm, a situation that prompted what Sullivan referred to as a “lantern tour.”
Sullivan noted the development of “urban sprawl” in the Raleigh area and said he preferred Concord's weather, calling the city very laid back, quiet and safe.
If things go the way he hopes they do, he and Stracqualursi will also be calling it home.
“There's just something about Concord,” Sullivan said. “We definitely want to [live here after school]. It would be heartbreaking if we couldn't.”
