Rise and shine. It’s the first day of classes, which means you should be up bright and early and ready to hit the books. Shop ’til you drop, guys.

Saying farewell. Rabbi James Ponet, who has served as the University’s Jewish chaplain for over three decades, will take a year-long sabbatical in January before retiring from his position. In an email to the Slifka Center community, Ponet emphasized his message of stopping and resting as the main reason for his decision.

Celebration in Singapore. Yale-NUS College held its inauguration ceremony on Tuesday morning, marking the official launch of Singapore’s first liberal arts college. The event drew more than 500 guests and was officiated by Tony Tan Keng Yam, president of Singapore and chancellor of NUS.

Football on the radio. When the Bulldogs travel to New York to face Colgate on September 21, they may find a loyal fan base listening closely to their progress all the way from Connecticut. The Yale Football Radio Network will debut that day, and former Yale coach Carmen Cozza and Ron Vaccaro ’04 will call the action.

Pitch perfect. For the multitalented, there may be an organization for you. A new a cappella group called “The Unorthojocks” aims to bring varsity athletes together to sing and perform during each sports season in a manner that can accommodate an athlete’s schedule. Fingers crossed The Unorthojocks team up with “Professors of Bluegrass” — a band that counts President Peter Salovey as a member — in the future. Spring Fling 2014, anyone?

Are you in good hands? According to an Allstate Report, New Haven drivers are the 12th worst in the nation, falling eight spots from last year. Drawn from Allstate claims data, the report ranks the country’s 200 largest cities in terms of car collision frequency.

New faces. The Jackson Institute has announced its senior fellows for the 2013-’14 school year. New members include Eric Braverman, chief executive officer of the Clinton Foundation; Nathaniel Keohane, vice president at the Environmental Defense Fund; Noah Kroloff, former chief of staff of the Department of Homeland Security; and Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the first prosector of the International Criminal Court.

THIS DAY IN YALE HISTORY 1943 Following the easing of restrictions for Yale servicemen, administrators confirm that the inaugural Yale Dance will be held tonight at Beta Theta Pi fraternity. Tickets are $2.50 for both couples and unaccompanied men.