Wrapping up a full-time summer research experience is exhilarating and exhausting at the same time. But sometime during the first few weeks of the fall semester, a harsh reality will become evident: You don’t have as much time for research. Not near enough time. What would have taken you part of a morning to do in the summer, will now take a week or more to complete. Those long blocks of summer research time will have evaporated along with your increased productivity.

At the start of the semester, you'll once again create overly ambitious to-do lists. Making the transition back to being a full-time student and part-time researcher will be challenging. Be kind to yourself if you over plan a few research days as you readjust to your fall schedule.

Note: If you participated in a summer-only research experience, and didn't secure a recommendation letter from your mentor before departing, read I Need a Reference Letter in Two Years. Should I Ask Now?

If you're reading this article before your summer experience has come to an end, here's an article on how to ask for a recommendation letter before leaving the lab: Summer REU? Lock Down Your Rec Letter Before It's Over.

If you've been in the lab for at least two semesters and haven't asked for a recommendation letter, do it this fall! Don't wait until you need The One Letter to Rule Them All