For most of us (I daresay for all of us) our daily routine here in Oxford is so unlike the lives we're used to that it takes awhile to relax and enjoy ourselves, rather than either vegging out in front of a telly or trying to do too much.
Breakfast is in the dining hall from 8:30-9:30 (9:00 to 10:00 on Sundays). Some days we have croissants with jam and butter (or chocolate-filled); some days we have eggs, hash browns and sausages or ham. Cereal is always available, along with coffee, tea and juice.
We never have a lecture before 10:00. Sometimes we have only one Chapman full-group lecture, sometimes two. Hot Lunch is at 12:45. We always have at least two options, usually one being vegetarian. Then there may be an optional class from 1:30-2:30 p.m. After that, the day is free. Some of us wander around Oxford on foot. My husband has rented a bicycle, but I try not to watch him risk his life every time he tries to ride in the heavy traffic on the left side of the road.
If we walk downtown (about a five-minute trip), we might see street musicians or other performers, panhandlers and flea markets. You can walk through the manicured parks around Oxford, along the canals (and check out the houseboats), go shopping in the plentiful modern department stores or the hundreds of unique tiny shops, have a coffee or tea in a Starbuck's or a distinctly English tearoom, go to a museum or just walk (my favorite).
Dinner is at 6:30. Then it's journal time, pub time, movie time or walking time. I myself am amazed at how much time I have when I don't have a home to take care of or cooking to do. I think our students are amazed at how much time they have because they're not working one or more part-time jobs in addition to school and they're not commuting. None of us is spending any time on the road or in traffic, on our cell phones or endlessly trolling the Internet. A golden moment in time.
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