My Weekly Routine Living/Studying in the Caribbean (time blocks)

If you’ve ever wondered what it actually looks like to study while living somewhere that feels like a postcard, here’s my honest answer: it’s still a grind, but it’s a beautiful grind. Most days are packed with lectures, small group, and studying, and the workload doesn’t magically get easier just because there are palm trees outside. If anything, living somewhere gorgeous teaches you how to balance discipline with gratitude, because you still have to show up, stay focused, and keep your routine tight, even when the view is begging you to romanticize your life for a minute.

And let’s talk about the Caribbean weather for real: it’s super warm and very humid, basically all the time. The kind of humidity where you can step outside for five minutes and come back in as if you’ve been through something. Your hair will absolutely have opinions the second you leave the apartment, and you learn quickly what “humidity-proof” actually means (or that it might not exist). But honestly, you adjust, and eventually it becomes part of the rhythm of life here.

The tradeoff, though? Completely worth it. The sunrises and sunsets are unreal in a way that doesn’t even translate through pictures. From my apartment balcony, I can watch the sky shift through soft pinks, golds, and deep oranges over the ocean, and it feels like the day is starting (or ending) with a reminder to breathe. Those quiet moments, espresso in hand, book open, ocean in front of me, make the early mornings and long study days feel a little lighter. It’s still work, but it’s work surrounded by beauty, and that’s a kind of motivation I don’t take for granted.

And campus? It’s this close-knit little universe in the best way. Once you’re there, it genuinely feels like the outside world gets turned down, no distractions, no noise, just a steady rhythm of lecture halls, study spaces, familiar faces, and everyone working toward the same goal. You start recognizing people everywhere, you find your spots, and there’s this quiet sense of “we’re in this together” that makes long days feel a little less overwhelming. It’s intense, but it’s also comforting, like you have a built-in community that understands exactly what this season requires.

Routine is what keeps me grounded through all of it. When my days are full and the workload is heavy, having a predictable flow helps me stay focused, take care of myself, and actually show up as my best self. So here’s my typical weekday routine, broken into time blocks, professional, realistic, and big-sister-approved!

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Block	Time	Details
Quiet Morning Start	5:00–6:00 AM	I’m usually up around 5 am. I wash my face, brush my teeth, and make an espresso (my non-negotiable). Then I head straight to the balcony with my current book and read while the sunrise comes up over the ocean. It’s warm early and already a little humid, but this hour feels calm and slow, like I’m filling my cup before the day starts asking things from me.
Get Ready + Reset	6:00–7:30 AM	Around 6 am I shift into “get it together” mode. I do my makeup, get dressed, and do my hair, while also accepting that the humidity is going to do what it wants. Before I leave, I do the morning dishes and a quick tidy so my apartment feels reset. Coming home to a clean space later makes a bigger difference than you’d think, especially during busy school weeks.
Commute	7:30–8:00 AM	I leave around 7:30 am and walk to campus. The heat is already creeping in, so I keep it simple and just let the walk wake me up. It’s also my mental transition time; by the time I arrive, I’m focused and ready to be “on.”
Lecture Block	8:00–11:00 AM	Lectures from 8 to 11 am. This is full concentration time: listening, taking notes, and trying to stay engaged even when the material is heavy. The campus vibe is really close-knit, so it genuinely feels like you’re stepping into your own little universe, everyone’s on the same mission, and that energy helps.
Midday Reset	11:00 AM–12:00 PM	This hour is a quick reset, grab water, refuel, take a breath, and regroup before the next block. I try not to waste it doom-scrolling because I’ll feel it later, so I will bring my Kindle with me and read. Even a small pause in the day helps me stay steady through the afternoon.
Campus Work + Study	12:00–2:30 PM	From 12 to 2:30 pm, I work on small group activities and start studying the material from the day, while I’m still on campus. Same-day review is my secret weapon; everything is still fresh, so it’s easier to connect concepts and catch what I didn’t fully understand in lecture. This block makes my evenings so much smoother.
Small Group	3:00–4:45 PM	Most days, I have small group from 3 to 4:45 pm. This is where I get to talk through concepts, hear how other people are approaching things, and figure out what I actually know. It’s also where the close-knit campus vibe really shines, being surrounded by people who are working just as hard keeps me motivated (and keeps me accountable).
Walk Home	4:45–5:00 PM	After small group, I walk back to my apartment. It’s a short window, but it’s a real mental exhale, like, “Okay, school is done for the day, now we transition.” Sometimes I’ll just enjoy the warm air and remind myself that I get to live somewhere I once only saw in pictures.
Evening Study Wrap-Up	5:00–7:00 PM	From 5 to 7 pm, I finish studying for the day, review notes, go over anything that felt confusing, and prep for tomorrow. I try to “close the loops,” so I don’t carry academic stress into the night. This is my most disciplined block: I keep it focused, because I know the reward is a calmer evening.
Shower + Dinner	7:00–8:00 PM	At 7 pm, I shower (the humidity makes it feel even more necessary) and cook dinner. This hour is my reset button, washing off the day and doing something normal and grounding. I’m not trying to be fancy; I just want something filling and easy, so I’m not up late in the kitchen.
Wind-Down Reading	8:00–10:00 PM	Around 8 pm, I’m in bed with my favorite book for a couple of hours. Reading is how I fully come down from the day; it’s quiet, comforting, and it helps my brain stop replaying lecture slides...plus I can slip into a different reality and world altogether. Some nights I’ll catch the sunset earlier from the balcony too, because the colors over the ocean are genuinely unreal.
Bedtime Cutoff	10:00 PM	10 pm is my cutoff. I put the book down and go to sleep. It’s not glamorous, but it’s how I protect my energy, because the next morning comes fast, and I’m only as productive as I am rested. Then I wake up and do it all again tomorrow.

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The vibe check: Caribbean Weekly Routine Edition

Living here is equal parts discipline and little moments that feel unreal. Yes, it’s warm, it’s humid, and the days can be packed from sunrise to sunset. But there’s something about the rhythm of life here that makes the busy seasons feel a little more manageable. The campus community is close-knit in the best way, and when I’m there, it genuinely feels like I’m in this focused bubble, like our own little universe where everyone is working hard, showing up for each other, and pushing toward the same goals.

And then there are the moments that don’t feel real until you’re standing in them. When I’m on my balcony early in the morning, espresso in hand, reading my book, and watching the sky glow over the ocean before the world fully wakes up, I always end up thinking the same thing: this is exactly why I’m doing all of this. Those quiet pockets of beauty and peace don’t take away the work, but they do make the work feel worth it.

If you’re building your own weekly routine, take this as your big sister reminder: you don’t need a “perfect” schedule, you need a repeatable one. Start small, protect your mornings (even if it’s just 20 minutes of peace), and give yourself a real cutoff at night so you can actually rest. Consistency will do the heavy lifting, and your future self will thank you for choosing structure over chaos.

At the end of the day, this routine isn’t about being flawless; it’s about having something steady to come back to when school is intense and life feels nonstop. Studying in the Caribbean is such a unique experience, and I’m learning how to balance the grind with the little moments that make it beautiful, especially those ocean sunrises and sunsets that remind me to pause, breathe, and stay present.

I hope you enjoyed this week’s blog post and that it gave you a little inspiration (or even just a helpful peek) into what my weekdays look like. Thanks so much for reading, and I’ll see you next week. 💗

I mean...this is just one of the many sunrises I have seen.