A Day in the Life at Duke in Oxford

From learning British slang to acclimating to Oxford’s famed tutorial system, students attending Duke in Oxford this summer have been thrown into a culture far different from that in Bull City. Forty-five are at Oxford’s New College (which is actually quite old—it was founded in 1379) studying humanities subjects including Victorian Literature and Modern British History. Here’s what a day might look like for them:

7:30 a.m.: Wake up to intense sunshine coming from under the blinds. It’s been bright since 5 due to England’s northern latitude.

8:00 a.m.: Go to breakfast in the Hogwarts-esque dining hall and have the day’s first cup of tea.

8:45 a.m.: Stroll under the iconic Bridge of Sighs to get to a lecture Exeter College, focusing on History, Politics & Society or Literature.

10:00 a.m.: Find a nice spot inside the Radcliffe Camera library to get some reading or writing done.

1:00 p.m.: Take a much needed study break by walking to the Covered Market for lunch, but instead of eating, get distracted by all of the colorful grocery and flower stands.

1:30 p.m.: Return to New College for tutorial, with only the tutor (the professor) and another student.

3:00 p.m.: Meet a friend at a café for cream tea, mostly looking forward to warm scones with clotted cream and jam.

4:00 p.m.: Visit the world’s first university museum—the Ashmolean—to see awe-inspiring art collections ranging from Rubens to Picasso.

5:30 p.m.: Hurry back to New College to get ready for dinner.

6:00 p.m.: Go to a fancy dinner at the dining hall—and possibly sit at High Table, with the guest of the night and all the tutors.

8:00 p.m.: Go on a walk in the gardens with some friends because it’s still really bright outside

9:00 p.m.: Walk to one of the many nearby pubs to have a beer or cider with friends. Possibly choose the Eagle and Child, where J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis would often meet to discuss their writings.

10:30 p.m.: Return to dorms in New College to get a bit of work done before bed.