Longyu Li

An international student from China, Longyu Li helps first-year students build their new home at Concordia’s residences.

What’s it like working in residence?

It's a pretty fun job. My colleagues are more like family since we all live in the same building. We have 40-50 residents on each floor, and we organize floor gatherings and social events to bond. It's very fulfilling because we cater to the residents' needs while also incorporating our own knowledge and interests. For example, my colleague and I organized a go-karting event last year which was really exciting. More than half of the residents are international students because it's their first time in Montreal or even Canada. We provide a lot of coaching and support based on our own experiences and help them navigate everything.

What’s it like living at Loyola Campus?

I chose to live on the Loyola Campus because it's a quieter residence compared to Grey Nuns, which is downtown. All my classes are downtown, but it’s easy to get there by shuttle. Loyola Campus looks more like a traditional university than the downtown campus.

As an international student yourself, why did you choose Montreal?

I’m a Formula One fan, so Montreal was the first Canadian city I heard of. I love the European style which is different from Toronto or Vancouver. Montreal is the best place for summer in Canada. I love the Grand Prix weekend, which is my favourite part of Montreal summer. The city transforms itself for that weekend only – there’s fancy cars on the streets, an amazing race and so many people from different countries come to Montreal.

Do you have any advice for other international students who are thinking of coming to Montreal?

Studying in Montreal is a great chance to experience something unique, because Montreal has French, English and Canadian culture. The whole city is a combination of all the different dimensions of unique cultures.  You can discover more things here compared to other cities in Canada. Summer in Montreal is one of the best parts about living in Canada. If you come to Montreal for the summer alone, you’ll see that moving here is worth it.

What do you like about Concordia?

Concordia feels more alive than other schools. It's not solely focused on academics — Concordians meet lots of people and have great experiences. We have internship opportunities, and you can get work experience while studying. We have a chance to practice what we learn, which I think is the best thing.