Montreal university students facing challenges amid coronavirus pandemic

The end of August means local and international students are flocking to Montreal universities.

But with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, things are starting to look very different this year.

Students are not holding large events for frosh week, which is considered an essential part of the university experience, especially for foreign students.

“For some of these people, they want to experience how Montreal feels like,” said Saqlane Mehdi, the vice-president of events at Concordia’s Student Exchange Association.

“We’re kind of hoping to do these events in a larger space like public parks or an auditorium.”

Concordia University’s residences are closed this year.

The university says they couldn’t keep social distance measures in place because the area is too small.

Now, 900 students are hunting for apartments.

Concordia University says it is helping place students.

“We secured a partnership with furnished apartment rentals and so we’re helping students with that,” said Vannina Maestracci, Concordia University’s spokesperson.

But not everyone is getting help.

“If you’re on your own looking for an apartment, it’s a little difficult right now,” said Mehdi.

“People are trying not to move and they’re extending their leases, so the places that you do find are either super expensive or not that great.”

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Concordia and McGill universities are holding most of their fall semester classes online.

But a small number of classes, such as labs, must be held in person.

Both universities have established protocols in order to prevent the spread of the virus

“They have to go in the class one by one, they have to wash their hands when they get there, they have to disinfect and clean the areas they are going to use both at the beginning and the end of the activity,” Maestracci explained.

Both universities told Global News they have enhanced cleaning protocols.

Masks are also mandatory in public areas.

McGill University’s students say they are concerned about catching the virus, according to the Students’ Society of McGill University.

But they say their biggest issue is the lack of clarity in the information the university is sharing with them.

“Most students are kind of overwhelmed at this point with the massive load of content that’s kind of being shot at them by the university, but a lot of students are having trouble really understanding what’s being said,” said Brooklyn Frizzle, VP of the Students’ Society of McGill University.

Students are just hoping that things will be back to normal for the winter semester, but without a vaccine, the chances of that are slim.

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