As students head to the cafeteria during lunch, many are thinking about what they’ll be eating for the day. Yet for some students, the remainder of their day continues without any foods or drinks.
During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk as part of their religious practice for the holy month centered on faith, reflection, self-discipline and gratitude. Beyond refraining from food and water, the month encourages spiritual growth, charity and a stronger sense of community.
For students observing Ramadan, these values continue through the school day as students at McLean shared how they balance fasting with academics, athletics and extracurricular activities.
Junior Martina Cantua is observing Ramadan this year in solidarity with her Muslim friends, choosing to fast alongside them as a way to better understand their experience.
“I didn’t want to just say “that’s cool” and move on, but really understand even a small part of what my friends experience,” Cantua said. “It felt like a small but meaningful way to show support for them. I’ve done this for a couple of years now, and it’s become something I value. It also helps that one of my best friends, Mustafa, hosts an amazing iftar at the beginning of Ramadan every year which makes the experience even more special.”
Although she is not fasting for religious reasons, Cantua said the physical challenges still become visible during the school day.
“The hardest part has been the energy dips in the afternoon,” Cantua said. “By the last period, I feel slower and a little foggy, especially if I’ve had sports or a long discussion-heavy class. It happens every year, but I still underestimate how much I rely on small things like water or snacks to stay alert.”
To manage both responsibilities and fasting, students often complete their homework after sunset, once their fasting for the day has been completed.
“Studying after Suhur and after Iftar is the most convenient time for doing homework or studying,” said senior Zain Shah. “Ramadan changed my sleep schedule, but only a little. I wake up earlier and sleep earlier too.”
For many, the experience of fasting shapes the view of this religious practice.
“It reminded me that practices that seem “strict” from the outside often have deep meaning and structure behind them,” Cantua said. “Engaging with something, even briefly, reduces the distance between observing and understanding. It’s made me more open to learning through participation rather than just discussion.”
Oftentimes, hunger and thirst impacts students in the middle of the school day.
“During the day, the fatigue and lack of energy builds up, making it hard to focus in some classes,” senior Zain Shah said.
Student athletes often struggle the most with fasting, as the physical activity adds more pressure on them.
“Extracurriculars are manageable. Sports, on the other hand, are extremely difficult to manage as you don’t perform as well as you usually do,” Shah said. “Fatigue builds up and it becomes hard to recover.”
Yet, the religious significance of fasting motivates students to persist through their day.
“Ramadan is a time where you understand how people in poverty feel,” Shah said. “It truly shows me that pleasures like food are only temporary and [it] helps me build my discipline and empathy.”
Those who practice Ramadan every year look beyond just the act of not eating and drinking during the day.
“I wish people realize that it’s a privilege to be fasting during Ramadan and that it is actually manageable, not hard,” Shah said. “It brings people closer to each other and allows them to practice self discipline and restraint.”
