McGill University

Having been at McGill for almost a year and a half now, I have become accustomed to the surroundings of endless books at the library, some scaffolding here and there, and the archaic vibe the rusted buildings give off. However, walking through the Roddick Gates and onto campus, I looked up and for some reason, I couldn't stop thinking about how beautiful the school actually is. Like I said before, since I have been here I have learned to overlook most things that once impressed me, including the gorgeous buildings that have stood in their place for over a hundred years.

To start off, the history of McGill is very interesting. Founded in 1821 by James McGill, a prominent Merchant from Scotland, McGill is one of the oldest universities in Canada, having been established 46 years before the Canadian Confederation. The university sits on 79 acres, divided into two campuses, one smackdab in the middle of downtown Montreal on one on the West Island; it also has 29 faculties and offers degrees in over 300 areas.

Interesting facts on the university include it didn't become academically active until 1829, there are almost 215,000 living almuni worldwide, and a range of students and professors receiving notable recognitions ranging from Nobel prizes to Olympic medals. The university has also had historic competitions with various other Canadian schools, including a rowing competition with Queen's, a soccer tournament with the "old four" (Queen's, Western, and UofT), etc.

The university today is ranked 17th in the world, which is quite a prestigious title. I personally love how in the summer, the Arts building has a flower bed in front of it shaped to Montreal's crest, that countless students sit on lower field doing work or chatting, and during the winter when the christmas lights are shining and the snow makes everything shimmer. To those who are not familiar with the school, I highly suggest that if you are ever in the city, take a quick walk through campus and look at the buildings, the students, and everything else the university has to offer. It's quite a nice break from city life.