If you catch your Muslim friend dozing off,  just let them go to sleep. Chances are they have been up since before sunrise. During lunch do you wonder where your Muslim friend is? They’re probably in the yoga room where Muslims gather during lunch so they don’t have to sit in the Commons. 

March 1 marked the first day of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting for Muslims worldwide.

For those who don’t know, Ramadan is celebrated on the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and Ramadan is actually the name of this month. 

A day of fasting starts with waking up before sunrise to have a meal. This meal is called Suhoor. It’s meant to help you during your day of fasting. Usually, I eat something filling or high in protein so it keeps me full for a while. Most days I am too tired to have a full meal, so I just don’t have anything. If I don’t feel like having a meal I just eat a banana which is usually my go-to. After sunrise (around 6 a.m. here in St. Louis) fasting starts and people observing Ramadan are not allowed to eat or drink anything until sunset.  

  For me, fasting was not too difficult this year, considering Ramadan was in the summer a couple of years ago, and we would break our fast around 9 p.m.  This year,  Ramadan lands during the spring where the sun goes down earlier. This makes fasting much easier. 

I was taught at a young age that fasting is a big part of my religion (Islam). Fasting has become normal, and it was always exciting because I knew Ramadan had benefits and I got to count down the days until Eid. 

Muslims start as young as the age of 6. My 8-year-old sister is currently in her first year of fasting. Last year she only did half days. Half days are when she fasts the first half of the day, has lunch, and then continues her fast. This helps her in her future years of fasting. 

For the first nine days of fasting we broke our fast at 6 p.m. , but Daylight Savings took place on March 9, so sunset arrived at 7 p.m. On school nights it’s hard to get much sleep, and since we’re fasting it’s hard to stay focused in school. There’s a prayer after Iftar called Taraweeh. This prayer isn’t until after 2 more prayers, so I stay awake until I am able to complete this prayer. 

It’s hard enough fasting throughout the day but when you have to take tests, complete assignments, and stay engaged in class it becomes a little bit harder. With early mornings, busy schedules, and long classes, maintaining focus and energy without food or water can be difficult for Muslim students observing Ramadan. Extracurricular activities or P.E.  classes add another layer of difficulty since they require more energy. 

This year the ACT also landed during Ramadan. It was very difficult to focus on that important test. The ACT required more concentration and problem-solving over several hours. Maintaining focus became harder and harder, especially in the later sections of the test. The stress of the exam also made fasting more difficult, as test anxiety and lack of energy can reduce performance. 

To celebrate the end of Ramadan, Muslims have a celebration called Eid. Eid occurs two times in a year. The first one is named Eid- al-Fitr–it occurs at the end of Ramadan. The second one is named Eid-al-Adha and it occurs exactly 2 months and 10 days after the first one. On Eid, Muslims gather at Mosques for prayer in the morning. It’s a time where Muslims dress up and people visit family and friends. Foods and sweets are prepared and shared throughout the day. Eid can be compared to Christmas or Easter because it’s a celebration with a religious purpose. Breaking fast during Ramadan is like having Christmas dinner but for 30 days straight. Decorating is also part of Ramadan; I get to help decorate the house by putting up lanterns and a bunch of lights. 

Despite the hardships along the way, fasting is meant to teach us patience and self-control, making Ramadan a rewarding experience.