You gave it your all. The last performances have closed, the last games have been played, the scantrons have all been scanned, and the last papers have been typed up, edited, and submittied. The boxes are packed, the car is loaded, and you can just spot that billboard advertising that just-starting-out-twenty-something-year-old lawyer that doesn't get much business outside of your town.

You did it! Finals are over!

... Now what?

We've all seen the long lists of romanticized summer activities; yogurt and yoga in the morning, geocaching in the afternoon, guitar-playing by the fire at night, and a few beach and Water Wizz day trips scattered here and there. Woo-hoo. That's nice and relaxing, but you deserve a summer of substance. You deserve to hold yourself to a standard of functioning human! You're gearing up to be a real person in the real world. Now that you're back home, how are you going to keep the momentum going? After a summer of sleeping in and having fun, it can be hard to jump back into the world of productivity.

Here's a list of ways you can keep yourself going throughout the summer.

1. Make that dough!

Having a job is one of the most productive things you can do with your summer. Not only is it going to keep you on your toes (physically and in regards to time management) but it is going to help you in having a good summer. This way, you can have money to do all the fun things you want to do this summer? Have you started your summer bucket list yet? Refer to number 6 about that one.

2. Keep yourself on a sleep schedule.

You definitely do not need to be going to bed at 9 PM and waking up at 6 AM (unless that number 1 thing I mentioned has you doing so) but you should keep yourself in some sort of daily routine, just like you do at college. You don't really enjoy sitting up at 4 AM scrolling through twitter, right? (I'm not the only one who constantly catches myself doing this, right?) Late nights with friends can be a highlight of the summer, but it shouldn't be an every-night occurrence. Try to be in bed at a certain time, and set an alarm for a certain time. Feel out different times; see what's comfortable for you. After late-night study sessions, try getting that circadian rhythm back in order!

3. Schedule yourself all-around.

Keeping some kind of schedule (and sticking to it!) is going to help you beat those blahs that come when all the days meld together, and the only way you can differentiate between weekends and weekdays is to see if Jerry Springer is on (I'm a sucker for some trash TV here and there.) Try having daily, weekly, and even monthly rituals, like on Wednesday I mop the kitchen, and at 3 PM I water the plants. These are simple things you can do to keep time in order.

4. Try a challenge.

Why not try and learn something new over the summer? Learn how to knit, paint, or any kind of craft. Kick a bad habit, like poor diet or smoking. Try a workout for 30 days or so. Start recycling if you don't already. Try that "Pact" app, where not sticking to your word could cost you. The app is mostly geared toward working out, but could be used for any kind of challenge, really. Just do something that you feel would better you as a human.

5. Join some kind of recreational/ active group.

I know I've wanted to try yoga or pole dancing for a while now. Classes for these cost money, so, refer to number 1 again! You could also join a community team of a sport, or join a book club, a gamer's club, any kind of club! Head to your local library and see if they have any community postings. Find your niche. Also, if you're still horrified that I said I want to learn to pole dance, try and stop equating it to shame. But I regress, as that's a rant for another post.

6. Make plans-- and follow through with them.

If you're like me, you love to plan. I mean, you LOVE to plan. You've probably already made that aforementioned summer bucket list, and good for you if you did! Now, follow through! Plan that camping trip. Buy those amusement part tickets. Throw that costume party. Think of it like voluntary assignments that have to get done. Except they don't cost you $50,000. A year. And your future doesn't depend on them. No pressure!

7. Start habits you want to have next semester.

Hopefully, everything I've listed here relates to some sort of good habit you might want. Make the habit personal to you. Get that sleep schedule back in order. Start and follow through with a workout schedule. Pick up that new hobby. It's so hard to start new things during the semester, when you have a million and one other things you need to focus on besides yourself. Make this summer about you. You'll feel like a new person by September!

8. Iced Coffee.

And bring me one, too. Cookie dough, half-ice, regular cream and sugar. I'm sorry, you are getting it from Dunk's, right?