For many students, religious seasons like Lent and Ramadan are a time to slow down, reflect, and focus more intentionally on their faith.
“Lent means trying to replicate, even in the slightest way, the suffering that Jesus went through in the desert and trying to live a more holy life by sacrificing and relying on God during times of trouble,” junior Brooke Oatman said. “It helps me strengthen my faith and focus more on my relationships rather than material things.”
For Christians, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and continues for about 40 days leading up to Easter. During this time, many people focus on prayer, reflection and give something up as a way to grow closer to God.
“I usually give something up or take on a new habit during Lent,” junior Chelsea Oatman said. “This year I chose to give up social media like Instagram and Snapchat because it was taking up all of my time, and I wanted to focus more on praying every night and making my prayers longer and more meaningful.”
The length of Lent comes from a story in the Bible where Jesus spends 40 days fasting and praying in the desert. Because of this, many Christians try to make small sacrifices or start new habits.
“I usually try to include more time praying in my life,” junior Grace Nunnery said. “This year I chose to say a quick prayer whenever I’m sitting in my car, especially before and after school, because I want to have more intention in my prayers.”
Another common tradition during Lent is not eating meat on Fridays, which many Catholics observe as a reminder of sacrifice and reflection.
“The most difficult part of observing Lent is remembering to keep doing whatever new habit I take up,” Nunnery said. “I tend to take up habits rather than give things up, but because I do extensive exercise with a ballet company, I have to be careful about eating enough before practicing.”
This year, Lent happens to overlap with another religious event. For the first time in decades, Lent and Ramadan begin on the same day. Ash Wednesday fell on Feb. 18, the same day the fasting for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan began.
“To me, Ramadan means a time to reflect, improve myself and become closer with my community,” freshman Busra Aksoy said. “It feels peaceful when you’re disciplined and focused on kindness and charity, and I look forward to the month every year because of its meaningful impact on my life.”
Because Ramadan follows the Islamic lunar calendar, its start date shifts earlier each year. In contrast, the Christian liturgical calendar follows the solar Gregorian calendar, which is why the two observances only occasionally overlap.
“Ramadan is really important to me because it’s a time when I try to focus more on my faith and becoming a better person,” junior Elyas Qanbari said. “Fasting reminds me to be grateful for what I have and to think about people who don’t always have enough food or water.”
During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to sunset, meaning they do not eat or drink during the daytime hours. Many wake up early to eat a meal before sunrise called suhoor, and they break their fast after sunset with iftar, often with family or community members.
“Something people who don’t celebrate Ramadan might not realize is that it’s not only about not eating or drinking,” Qanbari said. “It’s also about reflecting on yourself and trying to become a better person while focusing on kindness, patience and helping others.”
