This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at McGill chapter.

There comes a time in all McGill student’s lives when they must decide what they plan on doing after they take their last exams. There may be any number of opportunities or reasons to go home, wherever you may be from, but if you need excuses to stay in Montreal, there are plenty. Read on to learn why so many students choose to stay here in May, if not all summer.

1. Summer Classes

Ask any upper-year student and they will tell you that summer courses are super chill. Since you only need to focus on one class, students generally do pretty well, which is why many use this opportunity to take the more difficult required courses for their major. Alternatively, it’s a great time to take electives too, if your schedule is too busy to allow for these fun classes during the school year. Class sizes are significantly smaller, and most are only a few hours Monday through Thursday.

2. Research

If you’re not taking classes, then summer is also a great time to get involved with research at a lab at McGill. Research can take up a lot of time, which is why it’s difficult to fit into your schedule during Fall or Winter semesters, but there’s plenty of time to commit yourself to working in a lab in the summer.

3. Don’t Underestimate Warm Weather

We might tell all our friends back home that Montreal “is such a great city,” but about halfway through October we stop believing this ourselves. The tons of snow and unimaginably low temperatures cause us to forget what’s so great about Montreal, but that’s what summer is for! May is the perfect opportunity to finally explore all the corners of the city that you were too busy or too cold to check out during the year, and the city truly comes alive as the temperatures rise.

4. Festivals and Events

Montreal is known for having tons of different festivals, and almost all of them happen in the summer. There are large and well-known events like the International Jazz Festival, Osheaga, and Just For Laughs, plus dozens of others like the Grand Prix, the Pride Parade, and other music and film festivals. There’s so much art, music, and culture happening in Montreal in the summer that you won’t be bored for a second.

5. Making New Friends

An interesting subset of people choose to stay in Montreal in May. Often, you’ll find that some of your close friends stay, while many leave, which means you have more room in your life to meet new people that you otherwise wouldn’t. You’re also likely to meet and interact with more locals, and hopefully see Montreal through their eyes.

6. Tam Tams

Though one of many fun outdoor activities to do in Montreal during the summer, this one gets its own special spot on this list because it is such a fond memory for so many students. Tam Tams is the classic Montreal event that takes place every weekend throughout the summer. It seems like everyone in the city shows up to the park to relax, eat, drink, dance, and take in the sun. Seriously, if you are on the fence about staying in Montreal or going home, Tam Tams might just be the reason you’re looking for to stay.

Images Obtained From:

http://www.growthadventures.ca/Summer/TamTams/P9100019.JPG

http://www.english212.com/sixteen/McGill.jpg

http://adventurial.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Festival_International…

http://nano2012.physics.mcgill.ca/_/rsrc/1330466126878/home/frontMcGillC…

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