A Typical Day at Sea

My friend Chaz and I

I love my days at sea. There’s been a lot of them, so I have a pretty good routine down. Class days are assigned as either A days or B days – I have two classes each day, so both days are pretty similar. Occasionally we’ll have study days (like yesterday) which is kind of a like a weekend – a day to catch up on homework and not have classes. That’s also when lifeboat drills, taco days, and any events like Sea Olympics or Neptune day happen. But most of the time, if we’re at sea, it’s a class day. Today is an A day, meaning I have class from 9:30 – 10:50 and 2:40-4. Here’s what most of my days look like:

Eleanor and I

I usually wake up sometime between six and seven. Breakfast starts at seven, and I like being there right when it opens because it’s a lot quieter. And all the good food goes fast, like the frosties and blueberry muffins. Usually Eleanor will roll out of bed to go with me, and then get back in bed after we eat. If my friends at Butler were here, they’d think I’m crazy. Getting up before 8, let alone getting to breakfast, is a struggle for me. But I’ve changed. I have a new found appreciation for breakfast.

At eight, I tutor Tim for about half an hour, who is a ninth grader learning Algebra II. His dad is a professor on the ship and I’ve been able to get to know their family pretty well. I think they’re thankful that I’m able to help with the math. I’m thankful that the math isn’t too hard for me to teach him.

After tutoring, I usually do some homework until class at 9:30. After class, I catch up on some more homework while hanging with my friends in Berlin, our favorite dining room. Lunch starts at 11:30, and we’re usually the first in line to get food. Depending on the day, my friends will either head to the pool or the back deck to do homework after lunch Sometimes I go back to my room to do laundry, finish up homework, or nap. Very exciting, I know. But if I get more work done earlier in the afternoon, then I don’t have to worry about anything later that night. Pool days are fun, but most of my friends have more free time on B days, since we have a bigger break between classes.

Madi's Birthday Dinner

My next class is at 2:40. I’m not a huge fan of class that late, but it could be worse. Plus, class is over at 4, so that means I have another little break to either go swimming, or hang out with my friends before dinner. Dinner is at 5:30. Same place, same time, every day.

Almost every evening has something different going on. We have meetings the two days before port which are mandatory. Our cultural pre-port for South Africa is tonight. Before that, I’ll probably head to watch swing dancing for a little. Then after pre-port, my friend Brit and I are going to Christian Fellowship. Occasionally there are nights without anything going on – that’s when my friends and I watch movies or find some other fun shenanigans to do, like ship-wide hide and seek.

So that’s my normal day! Some days have more work than others. The days before a port are usually most fun, because we have so little work to do and everyone’s excited to get off the ship. I’ll be in South Africa soon!!