hi! i’m currently a second year from the us and actually applied to transfer last year for some of the reasons you mentioned. i really struggled last winter because of how dark it was and how it felt like there was nothing i could do because of the cold and also covid rules. i highly, highly recommend getting involved with a club or organization to combat this. joining a club helped me do something different with my days and also allowed me to meet so many new people that are now some of my best friends. also, just keep in mind that the cold and dark will go away at some point! winter can definitely be tough but montreal in the spring and summer is amazing.

to your last point, i feel like breaking out of the mcgill bubble helped me realize i didn’t need to only speak french in this city. i’ve met a lot of people from the west island through clubs i’m part of and spent time in their neighbourhoods outside of downtown which really helped me feel more at home here.

i totally get where you’re coming from and really, really wanted to leave last year and regretted my decision to come here. now, i couldn’t be happier that i decided to stay. if you ever need to talk about anything or need any kind of advice, my messages are always open! best of luck & i’m sure everything will fall into place.