unlike many people I know, have no problem with moving to the other side of the country, even if it is just for two years of college

You are braver then I. I could've gone to Georgia Tech or Virginia Tech, but I opted for a closer location (I'm from Colorado). Possibly a foolish mistake that will haunt me throughout life, but it hasn't bothered me yet. I figure if I continue to get nice internships (such as the one I have at Qwest this summer) they will look nearly as good on a resume as having a degree from a finer institution.

As for coming from the coast, I do have one friend from Maryland that's at UNL. He seems to like it. Only problem is you can only get to the coast on maybe two or three of the vacations we get (Spring Break, Winter Break,...)