She wanted to try an experiment. I was to combine both Ramadan traditions and daily ritual into a one day experience. She said the most important part of her day were her prayers. For me to get an authentic look into her life, she ask that I try to find a quiet place and reflect five times that day for a period of five minutes or more. In addition, I was to fast and not change my daily routine e.g. running, doing homework etc. I was also to refrain from swearing or doing anything that would cancel out my fast. With a time schedule as my guide, I woke up before the first prayer session and ate a full meal and hydrated. At the first light around 6 a.m. I performed my first reflection session and ran my usual three miles. I chose to switch running in the morning because I was hydrated compared to in the evening when I would have to wait until dusk to drink. After a shower, I went about my day exhausted but happy. The plan was to continue my reflection sessions until Sunrise and we would meet to discuss any questions I had and eat. I met her briefly in the prayer room on campus which is in Olscamp. The first half of the day went fine but as mid afternoon approached I found myself parched and unfocused on schoolwork. Once Mahjib came (sunrise + reflection session), I was released of my fasting duties.
When asked about the hardest part about Ramadan, she explained that it was a test. It was to test the mind, body, and soul. Mentally, she found it the toughest to concentrate on schoolwork and found religion as a source of strength but also a guide for values and morals. She, like Noor, chose to wear a traditional head cloth in order to be unique from other women and have pride in her culture. Much like a flashy pair of clothing, it is to make her different and to raise questions. For the most part, people are courteous of her clothing choice but occasionally gets a weird look from certain individuals. She says a large part of her comfort is that she has family in the area. It is important to note that Toledo and Michigan have a large amount of Islamic faith based ethnic groups. She chose Bowling Green State University because she had cousins who went through the college and like Noor was raised all her life as an American but was born here and not an immigrant.
When asked about discrimination, she said that she has heard of other Muslims who experienced disservice or name calling but understands that her religion teaches tolerance. She is positive about change and hopes that through the more people she meets that she can spread the "gift of diversity and culture". She lives on campus and said that her support comes from her friends, both Muslim and non-Muslim, family, and the Muslim Student Association. When asked about student affairs, she pointed out that the multi-cultural centers do an adequate job in providing accessibility. Most of her contact has been with people of her same culture introducing her to a group and the facilities.
Student affairs professionals should pay special attention to the religious needs of students and the customs they follow. Being able to empathize with students is a way of trying to understand the life they live and how their work, school studies, and attitude can affect the job in student affairs on a daily basis. What was learned from this experience is that devoted Muslims make accommodations to their daily lives and some are more taxing than others. It is important that through theories, both psychosocial, cognitive, and typology, that I try to use the tools around me to combine those with my personal theories. It is important that the educator be reflective and think of situations contextually.
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