Scheduling Your Day Around Faith and Academics 

Time management is important when trying to balance faith and studies. The Islamic Workplace suggests prioritizing prayer as a fixed point in your day. About Islam’s time management lessons also supports this. Here’s an approach that you could try: 

1. Map Your Schedule: Use a tool like Notion or your phone’s calendar to schedule your day and keep track of whatever you need to do, and an Islamic app such as the Muslim Pro app to keep track and remind you of your prayers. Aisheh Said shared, “I would schedule my classes and day around prayer times as much as I could.”  

2. Something you could try doing before the semester starts is marking when your classes might be, then slot in prayers. Maybe Duhr during a lunch break, and if you’re on campus for a long time and can’t pray Asr at home, you could pray it on campus. This is something that will be expanded on soon. 

3. Leverage Breaks: Taleb advised, “Make sure you have enough time between classes to pray.” Even a 10-to-15-minute gap between classes can be enough time to pray if you’re quick about it.  

4. Friday Prayer Priority: Taleb keeps Fridays free for Jumu’ah, saying, “I always make sure to keep it empty so I can attend.” Sadik emphasized the importance of Jumah, stating, “Going to class, I’ll make it up. If it doesn’t work within my schedule, I will never compromise salah.” Their words reflect a mindset that prioritizes Islamic obligations, even when faced with academic pressures. 

During the winter, to not miss the Maghrib prayer (early sunset), I’d have to stay on campus a little longer, because the gap between it and the Isha (night) prayer was so short. Be prepared to need to do this as well, depending on how long your commute is. 

Finding a Place to Pray on Campus 

What if your campus lacks a prayer room? Here are at least 3 things you can do, as my interviewees revealed: 

• Public Spaces: Sadik suggested, “Pray in an open public space while making sure you aren’t in anyone’s way, like the school’s courtyard.” It’s a chance for dawah (spreading the word of Islam) as well.  

• Quiet Corners: Aisheh recommended, “Find an empty classroom or a corner in the library.” Taleb said something very similar, “I’ll find a quiet place if I can’t get to the prayer room in time.” 

• Advocate: Both experts advised contacting student services. Most schools should have an office of faith & action where you can find the contact information of staff who can help you organize a prayer space. 

For women, Aisheh’s advice may feel safer because it is important to avoid potential discrimination in less diverse settings. My thoughts are that, if you’re comfortable with it, pray in a public space, like Sadik suggested.

Building a Muslim Community in College 

Feeling isolated or alone? You’re not alone. A ResearchGate study found social isolation common among Muslim students. Here’s what you can do: 

Start or Join a Muslim Student Association (MSA) 

If your school doesn’t already have one, find at least one or two other people who are willing to start one with you, Aisheh and Sadik both urged. Both were very adamant on doing it with a group, which shows you the collectivist nature of Islam, it’s about the group (ummah), not the individual. They both also stated that you can visit a local mosque to meet other students, then propose starting an MSA. Taleb said that his school’s MSA events are specifically at the Lincoln Park campus, not the Loop campus where his classes are at. Using the knowledge, I gained from Aisheh and Sadik, I suggested for him to find a group of Muslim students to lobby for activities at the Loop campus. MSAs are beneficial in general because of the group activities that might be offered, such as Ramadan iftars, communal prayers, and Friday sermons. Also, being a board member can boost your resume, too. To summarize the steps of starting an MSA: 

• Step 1: Find one or two allies at the prayer room or mosque. 

• Step 2: Pitch an MSA to student affairs with their support. 

Yes, it’s that easy. 

Network Beyond Campus 

Taleb suggested, “Choose a school with a strong Muslim community, like UIC (University of Illinois at Chicago).” Funnily enough, both Aisheh and Sadik attended UIC, and praised the school’s massive Muslim community and diversity. And if that’s not an option, local mosques or online forums like Reddit’s r/Islam can help you find others.  

Community support isn’t just social, it can open doors to academic and professional opportunities. 

How to Network as a Muslim College Student 

Networking doesn’t just have to be for jobs, it can be for faith and long-term friendships too. Here’s how: 

• Mosque Meetups: Attend local Mosque’s Jumu’ah or MSA events to meet other Muslim students. 

• Classroom Allies: Share your faith casually with classmates as you get to know them; it might create connections. It could also make them want to learn more about the religion which counts as dawah.   

• Professors as Connections: Taleb said, “I’d talk with my professor after class every day for like at least 10 minutes.” Sadik had less luck but suggests persistence. 

Building ties takes effort and time, but at the end of the day, it will pay off. 

Muslim Student Success: Social Life Without Compromise 

Socializing doesn’t have to mean abandoning your faith. For this section, we can go back to Taleb’s example about skipping the bar outing with his classmates. There are other activities and things you can do when wanting to hang out with people who aren’t Muslim: 

• Faith-Friendly Fun: You could join a sport, volunteer, or host a movie night. 

• Set Boundaries: Explain what you can and can’t do, most friends will respect prayer breaks or alcohol avoidance, among other things. 

Aisheh cited the “Five Before Five” hadith, “Take advantage of five before five: your youth before your old age, your health before your illness, your riches before your poverty, your free time before your work, and your life before your death.” This hadith urges engagement within the boundaries of Islam.  

Beyond making friends, having academic mentors can help you navigate college life with confidence. 

Mentors and Academic Support 

Building relationships with professors and staff can support both your academic success and spiritual well-being. Taleb’s chats with his professor helped build a relationship and trust, making it easier to ask for accommodations when needed. On the other hand, Sadik shared that a professor once brushed him off, which was discouraging, but it taught him to be more selective and persistent when seeking allies. The key is to identify professors or advisors who are understanding and open, especially when it comes to faith-based needs like prayer breaks or missed classes due to holidays. Don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself and communicate respectfully. 

Whether it’s organizing your day, finding a place to pray, or building a support system, all these efforts contribute to a more grounded and fulfilling college experience. 

Conclusion: Thriving as a Muslim Student 

You can make college work while keeping your faith at the center:  Schedule your day around prayers to maintain discipline, lean on Islamic stress relief like Salah and Dua to handle academic pressures, and build a supportive community through a Muslim Student Association, a school club, or a local mosque. Balancing these things can give you the strength to thrive academically and socially without losing your values. Sadik cited this hadith: “The best of people are those who are most beneficial to others.” Let this hadith inspire you to do good things at your campus while staying true to your faith.