Eshal Ashraf remains unruffled by the changes in her life due to the advent of Ramadan. Although the Grade 12 student is currently taking the high-stakes CBSE board exams, she emphasised fasting seamlessly integrates into her daily routine.
The DPS Dubai students said: “It has been ingrained in me that I should be fasting every year. So, I’ve always thought this is something that I should be doing irrespective of the exams.”
Adjusting schedules
Coping with the challenge of studying for extended periods without food and water isn’t always easy. But Eshal mentioned that her strategy involved adjusting her schedule.
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She added: “I usually get tired in the late afternoons when I am about to end my fast. Therefore, I like to study in the morning and then I nap later on. Then, I again start studying. This way, I can eat while I am studying.”
Eshal, who wants to pursue medicine, typically clocks in eight to 10 hours of study daily.
“I study throughout the night. I like to fuel myself up when I am studying. This is because if I sleep, waking up early becomes quite challenging for me. Therefore, I find it more convenient to stay awake and catch up on sleep later.”
She stressed engaging in activities that feel manageable to one is critical, avoiding excessive strain.
“Ensure a balanced approach by taking care of both your body and academic commitments throughout Ramadan. How many fasts one wants to observe really depends on one’s level of faith. If they think that they shouldn’t let go of this, then they must fast. I feel students can figure their way through this. It’s not so difficult to balance your religion with academics. One can navigate through this well,” adds the girl who has been fasting since the age of nine.
Some students prefer morning study with regular sleep.
Similarly, Eshaan Mansuri who has a slightly different approach to managing studies during his board exams, feels his schedule largely remains unchanged during the Holy month due to certain tips, for which he credits his school.
“Initially, I had felt that it might be challenging to fast and write a board exam paper, one of the most important papers of my life and I was worried about it. But then I realized that the support, guidance, and tips that our school has given us have been invaluable and are helping me sail through this period smoothly,” added the student at Amity Private School Sharjah.
During exams, the crucial advice emphasised by his school was to ensure adequate sleep.
The student who is getting ready for his upcoming Economics exams, added: “As board students we tend to stay up all night and cover the syllabus but we have been advised that we should sleep early to wake up rejuvenated and then study. This really works for me.”
Eshaan wakes up around 4am for suhoor and then sleeps for four hours before he wakes up at 8am again. “Soon after, I start studying and I study till 10pm, after the Taraweeh prayers. But of course in between I take short breaks. Sometimes, I also talk to my teachers to clear any doubts and occasionally get on calls for any clarifications.”
Religion is important just as exams are
Another board exam student, Mohammed Aseel, who has been observing fasts for the entire 30 days over the last five years during Ramadan, mentioned that despite the initial physical difficulties, this experience during board exams is quite manageable.
“The way I approach my studies hasn’t changed much. These days my mother has been preparing interesting meals, focusing on providing us with additional nutrition by incorporating essential nutrients into our diet,” said the student of DPS Dubai.
Mohammed pointed out it only takes a few days for the body to adapt to those changes during Ramadan with ultimately everyone adapting.
“I would say Ramadan is like a path to Paradise and we shouldn’t take it so lightly and consider board exams over it. We should try to balance it perfectly.”