McGill University - Local Atmosphere

College Prowler Take

Montréal is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in North America. The nightlife, the shopping, the restaurants, and the culture make this one of the most exciting cities for a student to live in. To top it off, it has one of the lowest cost of living for a city of its size. Along with McGill, Montréal is the home of many other universities and colleges. Accordingly, the shops, bars, and restaurants often specifically target students with special discounts and specials. Montréal is a student’s paradise; with the drinking age set at 18 and relatively loose attitudes towards marijuana, the party here really doesn’t stop unless you want it to. When it comes down to it, Montréal makes McGill.

Besides the plethora of things to do, the other defining characteristic of Montréal is its French roots. While it is a bilingual city for all practical purposes, its official language is French. The English language also carries the stigma of oppression, as up until the 1960s, Québec’s natural and labor resources were exploited by English-speaking businessmen from outside the region. Despite vast improvements in the past 30 years, there is still an undercurrent of hostility. Class discussions about Québec identity and history can get very heated, and many native Montrealers look down upon Anglo-McGill. However, despite the occasional culture clash, the experience of living in a place where you are the foreign minority is a learning experience definitely worth having.

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Students Speak Out

Anonymous says:

The atmosphere in Montréal is... The atmosphere in Montréal is great. There are lots of other universities present (four, I believe), so it really is somewhat of a student community wherever you go. I haven’t really encountered any places to stay way from, though Montréal is a big city, so I have no doubt that they exist. Places to visit would be the myriad of clubs, restaurants, and bars Montréal has to offer. If that isn’t your thing, there are also outdoor parks, historic sites, and various boutiques to whet your appetite. Don’t worry, Montréal has everything. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

Montréal is indescribable, with... Montréal is indescribable, with too many fun things to do and cool places to see. Definitely check out Chinatown for the best and cheapest food deals, the museums (students get really good discounts), Crescent Street for its awesome pubs, and St-Laurent for its great clubs and eclectic shopping. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

Montréal’s a vibrant,... Montréal’s a vibrant, multicultural city. It’s very accepting of different people and is a big melting pot of leftie-liberals. Republicans beware. Other big schools in Montréal include Concordia University, University of Montréal, University of Québec at Montréal, and University of Sherbrooke, as well as some large CEGEP schools. Montréal’s quite the party city, as you really have to take advantage of the gorgeous weather before winter hits. The ice and snow definitely do not shut down the city, but it does decrease the amount of people going out on Friday nights from hoards to crowds. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

Montréal is a pretty good place to... Montréal is a pretty good place to spend my college years in. It is liberal, relatively inexpensive, and culturally diverse (well, Chinatown is a tad bit dinky). There are many interesting shops and restaurants to visit. There are several universities around, but they are pretty negligible. Stay away from pervy old men, 737 (boring club), Juice (boring club again). 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

McGill has an enormous student... McGill has an enormous student population, definitely the biggest student-per-capita ratio in Canada, and probably rivaling some of the bigger university towns in the States. Concordia and the University of Montréal come immediately to mind, the other ones are smaller (and predominantly Francophone) but still contribute to the student population. There’s really no place to stay away from; obviously, there are parts of town that aren’t as interesting (or as safe) as other parts of town, but Montréal doesn’t have any particularly dangerous places. As for stuff to visit, the list goes on and on: the Old Port, Chinatown, the Latin Village, St-Laurent and St-Denis streets, Mont-Royal, the McGill campus (is very beautiful and worth visiting even if you don’t come to school here), and the Museum of Modern Art. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Facts

Did You Know?

5 Fun Facts about Montréal:
• Its official language is French, but most inhabitants are bilingual.
• The prohibition movement in the United States turned Montréal into a haven for Americans looking for alcohol.
• Montréal is home to an underground city with shopping malls, hotels, banks, offices, museums, universities, seven Métro stations, two commuter train stations, a bus terminal, and the Bell Centre hockey arena. Not all of it is actually underground, though.
• Montréal has the highest concentration of post-secondary students of all major cities in North America.
• Montréal is a popular filming location. Major motion pictures that have filmed partly or entirely in Montréal include The Aviator, The Bone Collector, Catch Me If You Can, Cellular, The Day after Tomorrow, Heist, John Q., The Notebook, Rollerball, Secret Window, The Sum of All Fears, and The Terminal. The Jackal, The Whole Nine Yards, and Taking Lives had scenes set in the city.

Famous People from Montréal:
Pierre Bouvier, frontman of Simple Plan and songwriter
Leonard Cohen, poet and singer
Celine Dion, singer
Corey Hart, singer
John Molson, brewing tycoon, railway and steamship line builder
Sam Roberts, musician
William Shatner, Hollywood actor, best known for playing Captain Kirk in Star Trek
Rufus Wainwright, singer/songwriter

Local Slang:
Anglophone – Used to describe English-speaking residents/establishments
Dépanneur (Dep) – Small convenience stores found on nearly every block of the city, best places to buy cheap beer
Eh? – To be put at the end of a statement to turn it into a question. “It’s cold outside, eh?” Mastering the “eh?” is an art form. First Nations people – The politically correct term for the native peoples of Canada
Francophone – Commonly used as a noun to refer to the French-speaking residents or establishments
Keener – Nerd or teacher’s pet
Ma blond – My girlfriend
Mon chum – My boyfriend
SAQ – The official, government-regulated liquor stores of Québec; only place to find name brand liquor and fine wines
Toque – A winter hat (rhymes with puke)
Trainers – Sneakers 

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