Closer Look at Christ Church Meadow
Gorgeous View of Magdalen College
One of the first things I had to adjust to when I arrived in Oxford was the time difference. Coming from Alabama, I was six hours behind the United Kingdom, which did not feel like a major difference as I thought about it before leaving to study abroad. However, I quickly learned that six hours can make a big difference when you are attempting to adjust to an entirely different schedule. Throughout the duration of my month abroad studying at Oxford, the change affected me in different ways, from the first few days to coming back home.
When I first arrived in Oxford, one of the strangest things I found was how long the days seemed to be. I learned that during the summer, the United Kingdom has longer day cycles, so it stays bright outside much later than in the United States. Moreover, the sun rises much earlier in the morning than I was used to. As I was attempting to adjust my sleep cycle to match the time in Oxford, I found it somewhat difficult, as I would look outside and feel like it was much earlier or later than it actually was. I remember feeling tired during the daytime and wide awake at night. The early mornings were also an adjustment because I would be completely awake and it wouldn’t even be six o’clock yet.
Inside View of Worcester College Quad
Eventually, my body had mostly adjusted to the time difference. I was able to stay up late talking to my friends and family back home on the phone while still waking up before seven each morning for breakfast. Though, I did find it odd that I was able to get up eager to start the day when I typically had so much trouble on more sleep back at home. The six-hour difference also became something I needed to consider when I called my friends and family. A time that seemed reasonable for me could be much earlier or later for somebody from home, and there were often times I yearned to call my parents, but had to wait until they got off work, even though my day was coming to an end. Luckily, I became used to planning calls around everybody’s schedules, and the time difference became a little less noticeable in my everyday life.
Somewhat ironically, adjusting to the time difference again was one of the hardest parts about returning home. After spending a month living on a schedule that felt mostly normal in Oxford, my body was suddenly back on Alabama time. I found myself getting extremely tired much earlier during the day and needing a nap more often than I normally would. Even though I was back home in a familiar place, my sleep schedule was reset again.
Taken Within the Duke Humphrey’s Library
Looking back on how I was feeling before the program began, I did not expect the time difference to have such a major impact on me. It became a small reminder that studying in another country means adapting to more than just the people I was around and the new environment. It also meant learning how to adjust your daily routine to a completely different rhythm. By the time I left Oxford, I felt I had finally gotten used to the time difference, only to have to do it all over again when I came home!