As those of you in Windsor could tell from the frost on your cars this morning, summer is quickly running out of steam. That means two things: a new season of Parks and Recreation is months away and a new school year is nearly here.

Before you get all panicky and start lamenting the summer that got away, you might want to read Justin Dunnavant’s recent blog post on GradHackers. Following his “rituals” could help anyone dreading the transition from working vacation to just plain working. Here’s a preview from the man himself:

If you planned your summer like I did, you likely didn’t complete half of what you set out to do. As a graduate student, I know how difficult it can be to transition from a leisurely summer to a more structured semester. In the next few weeks people will be returning from fieldwork and dissertation research, and even more will be entering graduate programs for the first time. In the past, GradHackers have reminded fellow students to revisit their motivations for graduate school, to explore new methods of staying productive, and, perhaps most importantly, to remember the value of sleep. Over the years I have adopted similar rituals to stay proactive instead of reactive and to help me ease the transition from summer to semester. Taking the last few weeks of summer to reflect, organize, plan, and anticipate has helped me mute looming fears and put the fall semester into perspective.

…

Read more on Inside Higher Ed here.