Lessons from Hosting Three Qur’an Competitions

I just wrapped up my third Qur’an competition, and this one was at a school. The first two were held at a mosque, and each time, I’ve learned something new. Looking back, these are my three biggest takeaways:

1. Remain Calm: Especially with Family

One thing I’ve realized is that if I’m kind and patient with the participants, the judges, and the audience, but end up snapping at my own family in the process, it defeats the purpose. My family is the first to support me—whether it’s helping with logistics, handling last-minute changes, or just being there. They deserve my patience and kindness before anyone else. If I’m yelling at them at home but speaking softly to strangers, something is off. I need to be mindful of my tone, especially when under stress. They are not just helpers; they are my priority.

2. Finish Everything a Day Early

I am a huge procrastinator. I tend to put things off until the last moment because I feel like I work best under pressure. But this time, it backfired. I made a mistake on the mark sheet—I arranged it by names instead of levels of difficulty! If I had finished everything a day earlier, I would have had the time to double-check my work and catch the mistake. The stress of last-minute work always leads to errors, and it’s just not worth it. Next time, I need to set a hard deadline for myself—everything should be wrapped up at least a day before the event. (p.s. I ended up forgetting the marksheet at home altogether { i wrote a rough draft of this before the event})

3. Eat!

This might seem small, but it made a huge difference. In the rush of preparing, setting up, and making sure everything is perfect, I completely forgot to eat. I didn’t realize how much it affected me until I felt drained halfway through the competition. My mind wasn’t as sharp, and I was running on pure adrenaline instead of actual energy. Next time, I’m making it a rule to set aside a proper meal the night before, something easy to grab and eat without thinking. When you’re well-fed, you think better, you handle stress better, and you enjoy the experience more.

These competitions have been an amazing experience, and I’m grateful for everything I’ve learned. Each one has taught me something valuable, and I know that by improving these small but important things, the next one will be even better, InshaAllah.