Papers, projects and assignments are really starting to pile up now. It’s this time of year that you start to feel the difference of being an off-campus student versus having a dorm. Here are some behaviors and habits that make it obvious you live off-campus.

1. Sleeping in the lounge.

You only have a short break in between classes, and you had such an early morning. That couch looks really comfy and you couldn’t care less if the other people around are complete strangers. You’re over it.

2. Bringing everything you could possibly need during the day.

It’s like you’re packing for a small day trip. You have a sweatshirt, snacks, makeup, chargers, a laptop, a book, a water bottle. Anything you think you might want is getting stuffed into your bag to avoid having to go home and back.

3. Rationalizing why you don’t need the things you forget.

Whether it’s a jacket, umbrella, a textbook or a paper, justifying why you can go without it is easier than facing reality: a T ride all the way home and back before your next class.

4. Calculating how worth it is to go home.

Is one hour a long enough break? What about two? How long would it actually take to get home and back? Would you be able to take a nap or get something to eat? These are all important questions.

5. And then calculating how likely it is that you’ll come back once you leave.

Will you actually feel like coming back once you’re home? Most likely answer: no.

6. Passing on events that go until too late at night.

Unless it’s something amazing, you’re not up to riding the T at 10 p.m. after it ends. Not to mention what you’ll do in between classes ending and the event. Because if you go home, there’s no turning back (see above).

7. Hanging out in weird places.

You didn’t buy anything, but you’re chilling in Dunkin. Or Starbucks. Or on some semblance of a seat in the Commons. Or sleeping on a table in the library. It's fine.

8. Being in a perpetual state of grumpy.