Many Muslims, including Fatima Kobeissi, use Ramadan as a chance to get together with friends and family to share dinner, or iftars. The 18-year-old Wayne State University freshman has also turned her Ramadan into an opportunity to contemplate God – another practice encouraged during Ramadan.

DEARBORN HEIGHTS — To be honest, I love Ramadan. At school, people are eating around me, but I feel disciplined. I’m rewarded in the end.

My day starts with prayer, and then I go back to sleep. I’ll get back up for school, go to class, and then I try to read the Quran because Ramadan is a great month to try and do that. Then I stay with the family, talk to some friends, and then work on some homework.

When I was in high school, I was on the basketball team when Ramadan came. We ran two hours every day up and down the court without water. So, as long as I’m not running a mile or anything now, I’m OK. You get thirsty. But eventually, your thirst is quenched. It’s a matter of patience.

I try not to take naps because there’s so much to do in the day. I don’t like to waste time. But just about the time I start to get tired, I sit down on the couch and put on some Food Network and watch them make the food.

My favorite part about Ramadan is when dinner comes around. You get a sense of camaraderie because Ramadan is a time when you start to invite people over. You invite people you haven’t seen for a while. You stay up late, you drink some (tea), go to the bakery for early morning breakfast. You enjoy it because there’s such a sense of togetherness. I love that about Ramadan.