During McGill’s never-ending midterm period, motivation decreases at the speed of light. Your long hours at the library get less and less productive, yet the foreboding your incessant workload inspires, combined with the battle it took to secure a seat on your favourite floor of the library, keep you rooted in place.
Before this monotony and anxiety overwhelm you, making any level of studying impossible, it is crucial to build in breaks that combat academic ennui. The Tribune presents a list of boredom-busting opportunities that will fit your tight study schedule and nourish your soul in ways McLennan never could.
Take advantage of campus museums
A hop, skip, and a jump away from any university library is McGill’s Redpath Museum, free with voluntary admission and open Tuesday to Saturday. Though it is perhaps most known for its central Gorgosaurus fossil, do not miss the museum’s stunning Abe Levine Shell Collection, which holds over 2,000 seashells that genuinely sparkle. Redpath also boasts a fascinating Ancient Egypt Collection that dives into the civilization’s funerary rites and mythos, and many stuffed zoological specimens, including extinct creatures.
For a more grisly experience, head to the equally proximate Strathcona Anatomy and Dentistry Building to visit the Maude Abbott Medical Museum. Free to visit on Tuesday to Friday afternoons, Maude Abbott’s Cardiovascular Collection hosts a fascinating display presenting 39 examples of heart disease, including an alligator’s heart. While you could get lost perusing either museum, both Redpath and Maude Abbott offer quick breaks from schoolwork that are much more informative and engaging than the classic midterm season doomscroll.
Watch dogs frolic at Percy-Walters Park
Whether strolling from campus along the south side of Mount Royal or coming from the mountain itself mid-run or walk, consider stopping by Percy-Walters Park. A quiet enclave surrounded by stately homes, the greenspace is a refreshing breather from McGill’s bustling buildings, and it offers amazing pet-watching via its fenced-off dog park. If you’re lucky, an owner might even let you say hello to their puppy: Just like a McGill-run animal therapy session, but without the queue.
Skip the cooking
There is nothing more rewarding during midterms than not having to coordinate meal prep. Whether by yourself or on a study date with friends, treat yourself to lunch or dinner at a restaurant to break up long library sessions and make sure you fuel your hardworking brain properly.
A BIXI ride away from campus on rue Rachel E, visit AMBER Restaurant for Indian-Pakistani cuisine with a wide range of exceptional vegetarian options. While the menu is sharing-friendly, try to stop by during lunch service from Thursday to Sunday to order your own personal thali, which comes with a comprehensive appetizer, three curries, rice, naan, and a dessert for only $25.99 CAD. The warm food will feel like a hug in your stomach during even the most trying of academic times.
Slightly farther on av. Fairmount O, brave the line at the Drogheria Fine window for piping-hot gnocchi, at just $5 CAD per takeout box—with a slight premium to add parmesan cheese or chilli flakes—payable by cash or debit card only.
If you don’t have any time to dine in during the midterm grind, order from I Am Pho near Concordia. This popular spot offers delicious soups that withstand food delivery journeys without compromising quality. Fragrant and spicy, their bún bò Huế is a must-try.
Take a total brain break to explore av. Laurier
For when you’ve truly given up on studying, call it a day and take a proper break to recharge: Why not spend an afternoon meandering along av. Laurier? Start by grabbing a warm beverage from Noble Café to sip on as you walk through Sir-Wilfrid-Laurier Park and admire the last of the autumn leaves. If you head east after the park, consider picking up colouring supplies at art store Lézard Créatif as a further de-stressor for home, or enjoy a beer at Dieu du Ciel! If heading west on Laurier, stop by Librairie un livre à soi, a beautifully curated French bookstore, to find an alternative to your myCourses readings, or Marie Vermette, a florist whose bouquets can brighten up your desk even in the darkest of midterm seasons.
