Muslim students at Marriotts Ridge High School start another journey of Ramadan on March 1st. They get up early for a pre-dawn meal, getting ready to tackle another day of fasting. This calls for balancing studies, tests and extracurricular activities while going without food and liquids from dawn to dusk for a month. Ramadan is a time for discipline and spiritual reflection, but it also brings many different difficulties, such as overcoming fatigue from lessons, focusing while fasting and modifying study plans to fit in the late night prayers. Nevertheless, many students discover that Ramadan helps them develop time management skills, resilience and a stronger sense of purpose, which influences both their academic and religious paths.
“It makes me feel good to fast since I am doing something that is valued in my religion, but it does affect me during the school day, making me really tired,” sophomore Fathiya Ahamed explained.
Fasting from sunrise to sunset fosters a strong sense of discipline and spiritual connection for many Muslim students, but it also creates particular difficulties in the classroom. Fatigue and trouble focusing might result from the long classroom hours combined with the physical activities like gym and after school sports. Academic and religious obligations can be difficult because they frequently rely on self control and rigorous time management. This experience emphasizes how important it is to have the understanding and support of teachers, as they can be extremely helpful in creating an inclusive workplace and providing flexible accommodation throughout Ramadan. The school is now including prayer passes which allows students to leave class in order to complete their religious duties. These passes promote inclusivity and give the students an opportunity to fulfill religious obligations. For many students, small actions like providing a peaceful area for them to rest or acknowledging the importance of the fast, can have a big impact.
“I usually change my study habits during Ramadan, so that I can have better success during my exams. It makes it hard to concentrate when I am fasting, so I have to put in more effort,” junior Shaila Uddin said.
Ramadan fasting frequently requires students to modify their daily schedules. For some, this entails planning lighter activities for when people are most tired. However, for days students can’t control, it is challenging to maintain concentration during demanding study sessions or high-stake exams due to the combination of hunger, dehydration and fatigue. Many students experience additional stress during an already difficult time because they have to work harder just to keep up. More understanding and accommodations from educational communities, such as flexible exam dates would be beneficial to the students observing Ramadan.
“I make an effort to schedule my school and extracurricular activities with my religious responsibilities. I make sure to get in all my obligatory prayers done in between my schoolwork and soccer since it keeps me organized,” senior Mamdouh Babkir shares.
Juggling academics can be difficult along with athletics and religious commitments at the same time, but doing so creates structure and discipline. Due to the pressure of school and extracurricular activities, many Muslim students find that it takes deliberate preparation to complete their daily prayers. In addition to bringing spiritual fulfillment, stopping to pray also establishes a daily rhythm that can improve concentration and encourage these efforts because students frequently discover that this systematic approach keeps them connected.
During Ramadan, many Muslim students exhibit resilience and discipline despite the mental and physical strain of fasting and balancing other commitments. Over the month-long period, they learn new helpful strategies and methods to get through the days and find success.