Workaholic.Perfectionist.

Busybody. Dedicated. Overachiever.

Committed. Obsessive.

Ok, so you work a lot. But, you love your job. Who cares if you start to do some things other people might find strange? This list goes out to all the people that work too much.

1. You don’t wear shoes anymore.

Why bother wearing shoes when you spend the majority of the day in one room? It is no different than walking around your home or dorm room. And okay, sometimes you’ll end up going down the hall, but it’s not that far. Besides, there’s never anyone in the building late enough to judge you anyway.

2. You start to get creative with the furniture. 

Granted, the furniture I’m talking about is not the best. When you see the same broken office chairs and carpet that hasn’t been changed since the ‘60s, you have to figure out the best ways to utilize what you have. If that means lying across two chairs with one leg on a desk, so be it.

3. Everyone in the office knows your Jimmy John’s order. 

Or Quatro’s, or basically any restaurant that delivers. You frequently work through lunch or dinner — or both. Rumor has it Jimmy John’s keeps track of every order you place. More than one of us wants to get that list printed when we graduate just to see how much of our paychecks went straight to our stomachs.

4. You start to recognize the delivery workers. 

You may know the schedule well enough that you know what day of the week that one really attractive JJ’s driver works.

5. You know late night janitors quite well.

In fact, you are probably on a first-name basis, and can talk to them about anything — including their children, plans for break, etc. You miss them if they don’t come in one night.

6. Your roommates don’t bother asking where you’re going anymore.

They already know the answer is work. It really throws them off when they do ask and your answer isn’t “the office.” Sometimes you forget you even have a roommate because you only see them when they’re asleep.

7. You’ve noticed a significant decrease in invitations to go out.

I guess people get tired of hearing no. Or maybe they forgot about you, too, since you basically live at work.

8. You’ve claimed the nearest restroom in the building as your own.

And you treat it as such. You actually get offended if it appears to have not been cleaned recently.

9. You’ve slept in the office.

Probably more than once. All-nighters become common in the later weeks of the semester. Co-workers begin to join you, leading to arguments over who gets the lumpy couch that’s been here longer than most of us have been alive.

10. You buy groceries for the office.

You may actually buy more groceries for work than you do for home. Most meal times occur either during class or work. Who has time to go home and cook? If you’re a journalist, you don’t really cook anyway, so what’s the point? Ramen and macaroni and cheese are just as easy to make in the office.

11. Your co-workers really are like a family.

They’ve seen you in every possible physical, mental and emotional state at all times of the day. Like with most families, the drama, challenges and crazy arguments are (usually) outweighed by the fun, good times and fond memories.

Sarah Gardner can be reached at [email protected], on Twitter @SarahGardnerDE, or 536-3311 ext. 252.