It’s hard to believe that it has been three weeks since Ramadan started. When I fast each day, it seems to stretch on and on as I await sunset, when I can finally take a sip of water and a bite of food for iftar. But now, as I look back on the past month with only a week left, it feels as if it was just yesterday that my family received the announcement of the new moon sighting in Saudi Arabia, marking the beginning of Ramadan.

Although Ramadan, the Islamic holy month,  is nearing its end, it is still far from over. The whole experience continues to evolve until the end of the month, as I continue to adjust and figure out what makes it easier to do all the Ramadan activities while living my day-to-day life. This differs for every individual person, and is one of the most fun aspects of Ramadan as you can share your experience with others to see what works for different people.

Now, as we move into April Break, the focus switches from trying to fulfill Ramadan responsibilities as best as I can while going to school, to finishing the month strong. Ramadan has already entered its last 10 days—or, as Muslims prefer to say, its last 10 nights. These nights are seen as the most important nights of Ramadan, as it is believed that good deeds performed during them will result in exponentially more blessings than during the rest of the month. This is yet another way the experience of Ramadan does not stay uniform throughout the entire 29-30 days: the skills and tips we’ve picked up on over the first few weeks prepare us in increasing our reflection and prayers during these special nights.

As the experience is about to change again, it feels like the perfect time to reflect on what I have done so far to accommodate Ramadan into my everyday life. I have picked up on a lot of tips to make fasting easier, which range from sensible to strange. For instance, eating a lot of protein for suhoor or reducing the intensity of exercise routines is helpful, as is expected. But surprisingly, watching cooking and baking videos also helps out a lot, as counterintuitive as it may seem!

I have also understood that decreased food, water, and sleep are bound to result in less energy, so taking a break once in a while is important—there is no point in trying to push myself unnecessarily. This realization also comes from the fact that teachers and classmates have been very respectful and understanding of my limits, not only empathizing with me, but also wanting to know more.

In fact, this brings me to some of the most joyous moments of Ramadan so far: the times when others at school have been curious to learn about the month, and I have had the opportunity to answer their questions. Seeing people who want to understand Ramadan instead of judging it and sticking to believing common misconceptions has brought feelings of euphoric acceptance. Although the festival of Eid can be seen as the “big reward” at the end of the month, each of these moments feels like a small reward in itself.

Even though about a week from now, Ramadan will end and life will seemingly go back to normal, there is no doubt that the lessons and habits I’ve learned over the month will stay in my mind and heart. Despite the challenges of fasting, I will miss many aspects of the month. At the moment, however, there is no time to think about how much I miss Ramadan, because there are still days left to dig in and power through these last nights. My goal, as of now, is to end Ramadan on a strong note.