Finding the Right Words: How to Respectfully Share My Truth with My Muslim Friends

Assalamu alaikum, everyone. I could really use some advice on a personal situation I’m navigating. My background isn’t Muslim, but I have an Arab appearance, and I’ve occasionally fasted a few days of Ramadan in the past as a personal challenge. This year at university, I alhamdulillah met an amazing group of friends, most of whom are Muslim. Early on, I kind of described myself as being "culturally Muslim," but honestly, I don’t know much about Islam. Looking back, I think I said that partly to fit in. In reality, I don’t practice the faith-I don’t follow the dietary restrictions and I’m not committed to the lifestyle-and there have been times I’ve even pretended around them. At the start of Ramadan, I joined them in fasting for the first few days and even in prayer. It was honestly really peaceful and gave me a deep appreciation for their dedication and faith, mashallah. But recently, I was away on a trip and slipped back into my usual routine. It made me realize I can’t keep acting like I’m Muslim when I’m not. I don’t want to be a hypocrite or show disrespect by pretending to practice something I’m not sincerely following. At the same time, I truly value these friends. They’ve taught me so much and I care about them deeply, which is precisely why I don’t want to be dishonest or disrespectful towards them or towards Islam. Another thing is, my studies are taking up almost all my time and energy right now, and I don’t feel I can properly learn about Islam or commit to it sincerely. I’d rather be honest about that than pretend. I’m worried that if I tell them I’m not Muslim and don’t plan to continue Ramadan, they might feel lied to or disrespected. That’s truly not my intention at all. How can I explain this to them in a way that’s respectful and honest?