Navigating OHS as an International OHSer
From managing time differences to the physical distances between us, international OHSers share the unique experience of attending our US-based online school from abroad. Our school profile states that international students represent 32 different countries and according to the admissions office, there are currently 110 OHSers living outside of the US, making up about 12% of the entire student population.
Five such OHSers abroad are Kee Olandesca ’21 (the Philippines), Sophia North ’21 (Costa Rica), Chloe Tsang ’21 (Hong Kong and Australia), Lokaa Krishna ’21 (India), and Kaveri Udupa ’25 (India). At the International Student and Parent Session, a Splash/Homecoming event, they shared the challenges they face and how they manage attending OHS. From these five students, along with several others abroad who shared their experiences in a survey, take a peek at what it is like to navigate OHS as an international OHSer.
Pins across the globe representing where OHS students are located. Image from onlinehighschool.stanford.edu/take-tour/ctd
Time Differences
At the International Student and Parent Session, the five students were asked about what challenges students can face while living abroad and attending OHS. In response, Chloe (Hong Kong and Australia) said that time difference is likely the “universal answer [for] everyone on [the] panel” and most OHSers abroad can surely relate. As OHS is based in California and operates out of Pacific Time (PT), class sections, assignment deadlines, club meetings, and social events are all dictated by PT. Hence, time differences can pose challenges that extend into many aspects of international students' experiences at OHS.
In their survey response, one anonymous OHSer (Russia and US) wrote that they often have difficulties adjusting to PT. As not only times but also dates can differ to PT, the student shared that they once missed a homeroom meeting having mixed up the timing. Joshua Jung ’22 (South Korea) said that while he has gotten used to the time difference, it was “pretty confusing” when he first started as a full-time student.
Although navigating time zones can already be challenging, daylight savings time further complicates things. Observed in the US, daylight saving time occurs when clocks are advanced by one hour each spring and then reverted each fall. As some countries do not observe daylight savings, the local time difference from PT, and hence students’ schedules are shifted in the middle of each semester. This is the case for Emma Dreispiel ’21 (Colombia) who noted in her survey response that time difference “only gets difficult when daylight savings ends.”
Different international time zones compared to PT using www.worldtimebuddy.com. Times colored in dark blue indicate nighttime and lighter-colored times indicate daytime.
Academics
One of the aspects of OHS that time differences and daylight saving time go on to affect are international students’ academic experiences. According to the Family Gateway, classes mostly take place between 7:15 a.m. and 7:45 p.m. PT. However, students abroad have a limited window when their daytime overlaps with PT daytime. Given this, OHS tries to ensure that OHSers still get enough sleep and stay healthy by restricting students from taking classes outside of 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. in their local time zone. As a result, finding class times that meet these constraints and accommodate other commitments can result in unusual schedules for international students.
One student (Turkey) noted that their schedule is “the opposite of what school usually is” since they have classes in the evening rather than during the day. Due to their 10-hour time difference from PT, another international OHSer (Russia and US) noted they can only take classes very early in the morning. This is similar for Fevroniya Barinova ’24 (England and Lithuania) who wrote that she takes morning classes because of the 7 or 9-hour difference. At the International Student and Parent Session, Chloe (Hong Kong and Australia) remarked that everyone on the panel “all has classes at most definitely strange times” with “very flipped schedules.” This includes Lokaa (India) who, as an exception to OHS policies, chose to take classes as late as 2 a.m. She says they have been challenging in that she has had to “learn how to work with [...] different sleep schedules” from that of other OHSers online to those physically around her. Kee (the Philippines) has also had struggles adjusting her sleep schedule. Due to daylight saving time, one of her classes changes back and forth between starting at 5:45 a.m. and 6:45 a.m., but despite these challenges, Kee stated that “it’s worth it in the end.” Though there are challenges with managing classes, Joshua (South Korea) concluded that he is “so glad OHS has multiple class sections to accommodate international students.”
According to the Family Gateway, more than 90% of course requests are accommodated. However, some international OHSers still face challenges with the limited class sections available to them. For example, Chloe (Hong Kong and Australia) noted that “certain classes are at times [when international students] can’t take them.” Previously, she had wanted to take American Culture and Society, but the available section would have taken place at 3 or 4 a.m. in her time zone. Chloe had to take AP US History instead and though this was not necessarily “a bad thing,” she said she just “didn’t have that option.” Lokaa has been in a similar situation during her sophomore year when the only available section of Calculus C was at 4 a.m. for her. Though Lokaa said that she is “very flexible with time,” she “could not make that [time] work” and ultimately took the class outside of OHS.
Apart from course sections, international students can also face challenges with the timings of other academic components. For example, Joshua (South Korea) wrote in his survey response that many of his instructors’ office hours were at “inconvenient times” such as 4 a.m. Joshua noted that he does not mind staying up extra late or waking up earlier but this is challenging since he already sleeps late due to his workload. Given this, Joshua stated that “it becomes difficult for many international students to meet their teachers during office hours.” Instructors are available to schedule times to meet outside of their office hours but Joshua noted that these times are still limited, most likely since many instructors are based in the US and can have varying schedules. Fevroniya (England and Lithuania) feels similarly, saying in her survey response that she “find[s] it hard to work out office hours.” Joshua concluded that “having equitable office hours would be invaluable.”
While time differences can pose challenges in communicating synchronously online with the rest of the school for international students, physical distances also play a role in getting science lab kits and textbooks. As Kee (the Philippines) noted, ordering class materials can be “really difficult” as many providers are based in the US and may not always ship internationally. For example, when she took a chemistry class, the main part of the kit could not be shipped to her and she ended up “buy[ing] every piece of the lab kit individually.” Kee said that she would not have known that this was possible without the help of her instructor and she noted that reaching out to instructors can be very helpful in situations like these. To avoid any ordering issues in advance, Kee and several others recommended getting everything even before the beginning of summer which is also helpful since, as Kee added, “shipping takes forever!”
Student Life
Apart from academics, online activities, clubs, circles, and in-person events usually held in the US bring the OHS community together. They are vital components of student life at OHS and are especially important for geographically distant international students. However, a large part of connecting with friends and joining clubs involves finding times to meet online which can be challenging for students facing time differences.
For Kaveri (India), she said “the main challenge” she faces living abroad is her social life because of differing time zones. Kaveri remarked that “it has been really tough to make friends” because it has both been hard to stay up to meet with others and for others to meet at a time that would work best for her. Kaveri has also found joining clubs “really tough” because many club meetings are at midnight in her local time. While she said she “would love to stay up for club meetings,” she cannot do so as she has to wake up as early as 5 am for her classes. A student (Russia and US) similarly noted that they “try to attend as many club meeting[s] as [they] can, but it means that sometimes [they’ll] have to stay up until midnight.” In her survey response, Fevroniya (England and Lithuania) also wrote that it has been difficult to keep in touch with other OHSers due to the large time differences. Fevroniya noted that most clubs try to accommodate different time zones but as she is often the only one with such a large time difference, it can still be “very hard for [her] to attend club meetings.” Joshua (South Korea) has found that most student life events are at inconvenient times as well. He said this “[makes] it difficult [for international OHSers] to participate as much as we want to.” However, he acknowledges that “it can only be difficult to make these activities time equitable for all students, as we cannot change the nature of our school.” Despite these challenges, Kaveri remarked that she has been able to join some clubs and added that “it’s really nice that people are flexible.” To make up for club meetings that she cannot attend, Kaveri said some club leaders have been giving her an overview of what she had missed as well as activities that she can still participate in asynchronously.
International students who are club leaders themselves face the challenge of coordinating meeting times that work for everyone. As Lokaa (India) stated, “it’s already so hard to get a time when everybody can meet” so she does not “prioritize [meetings] being at a reasonable time for [her].” Given this, many of her meetings end up being in the middle of the night. She said you "just need to figure out what works best with your schedule [or] if you need to sleep during the day [and] you just need to work around it.” Chloe who is the leader of the Comedy Club and UNHCR Club similarly mentioned that “it’s not the easiest when people are up at 10 am their time" which is 1 am or 3 am for her. Kee has also had to lead the Literature Club at 6 am and 3 am. Now, however, she has found that “co-leaders are your lifesavers” and the club now meets at several times that work for different people and she does not always have to attend.
For other students such as Sophia (Costa Rica) and Emma (Colombia) in Central and South America with time zones closer to PT, time differences are less of an issue. However, what they both agree has still been challenging is having “[fewer] opportunities to meet up with people and participate in in-person events.” With OHS’s major in-person events usually held in the US, it is often difficult for international OHSers to attend. This was the case for Sophia when many of her friends had previously gone to MIT Splash but she could not attend. Sophia’s family prioritized going to other events such as graduation instead, but she noted that she still felt like she might be missing out. To combat this, Sophia says she tries to be “as connected with friends online as possible.” She added that she is fortunate “OHSers are so nice and amazing [that] before you even think of it, they’ve already scheduled a call.” However, Sophia stated that it still does take effort and though it can feel unnatural to reach out, Kee added that “it’s worth it." Kee said, "finding platforms and really putting yourself out there is really important,” and suggested this can be on Skype, Discord, and Instagram or through clubs, classes, and other common interests. Ultimately, they both agreed that “it’s always helpful to be with the communities out there” and to find your own.
As for regional meetups which were also held in-person before the pandemic, many students noted that this is difficult since there are few others in the same country. As Emma wrote, there are not many people in her area so she cannot meet with anyone in-person. Fevroniya similarly does not know of anyone in the same country and Joshua remarked that while there are “a handful” of OHS students in South Korea, only one lives within a reasonable distance from him.
Culture
Apart from the differences in academic experiences and student life between students abroad and those in the US, there are also cultural differences. Kee comes from a “very purely Filipino background” and has never had friends who have lived in or traveled to the US before. Given this, she said that cultural differences “[were] challenging and [she] think[s] still [are] challenging.” For her, these include having said things considered politically incorrect in the US which “would have been totally okay where [she is] from.” Kee noted that she can also misunderstand people and has, for example, mistaken people for being mad when they were only conversing in a way that was “more forward and more direct.” This was hence “something that [she] had to get used to.” Additionally, Emma noted that it can sometimes be strange in class to “bring up arguments based on your local experience” abroad. Noting Democracy, Freedom, and the Rule of Law, the junior core class, Emma wrote that “everything is US-centered [...] and so talking about your experiences feels a bit intimidating.” Given the challenges she has faced, Kee said that “communication is important” and so “talking to your classmates, [...] educating yourself, [and] reaching out to your instructor” about things to know can be very helpful.
Conclusion
With OHS being an online school based in California, international OHSers have the unique experience of attending from abroad. An international student can face several challenges but it can be reassuring to know that they are certainly not alone. From grappling with time differences and navigating academics to managing student life and connecting cultures, several international students all related to these struggles. At the International Student and Parent Session, some international students additionally provided advice in managing different issues that apply not only to OHSers abroad but to any OHSer.
Kee (the Philippines) said to talk to instructors about “legitimately anything” as well as to reach out to any of OHS’s student support services including peer tutors, the Writing and Tutoring Center, academic advisors, and counselors. As she said, “they’re just waiting for you to reach out” and added that there were many times when doing so gave her a new perspective on things. Lokaa (India) agreed and recommended international students reach out to instructors about class times affected by time differences as they are “really understanding of that.” For Sophia (Costa Rica), she said she “take[s] control of what [she] can take control of” and tries to stay organized, “adding as much structure as [she] can” in her schedule. When things do get overwhelming though, Sophia said it has been important for her to step back and “know that no matter what, [things] will work out.” She said, “just be as organized as you can and [things] will fall into place.”
Ultimately, OHS has an incredibly unique student body, and the fact that our massive community is spread across the world is extraordinary. We are all able to connect with others that come from vastly different backgrounds and Joshua (South Korea) agreed that “the variation of students' perspectives [at OHS is] so interesting.”
While being an international OHSer comes with its own challenges, students abroad agree that OHS is extremely supportive, and being a part of the OHS community is a worthwhile and rewarding experience.
A special thank you to everyone who contributed to this article!