Obviously, some degrees are longer than others. Law, medicine and psych all require more commitment than (basic) science and arts majors. Masters and honours are pretty big variables, and then there’s also doctorates. But no matter how long your course takes, some of us start to see disturbing signs towards the end of our degrees.

These are little things that make you come face-to-face with a potential future version of yourself who never left the university walls. Here are some early predictable traits to look out for.

You’re interested in new first-year units outside your course

You’re on the downhill run of your Business and Government Management degree. You’ve got a postgrad plan scoped out, potential employers in sight, crucial experience on your resume, and your social media presence just pours out white collar professional vibes. You’re in a good place, except – hang on – “the philosophy of aesthetics?” you ask yourself aloud. “I love vaporwave!” Woah, Nelly. Step down and walk away from that poster board. If you’re finding yourself getting interested in fresh-faced units up for grabs while already deep in another course, it’s likely you’re hooked.

You know the IT error codes off by heart

You’ve got your favourite quiet spot in the library away from all the thoroughfare and your own signature computer that makes you upset when someone else is using it. You’re pretty much operating on muscle memory from the moment you log in, and you know if the computer error code you just got is to do with software drivers or the printer based off the IT desk reference number alone. This is also known as “workplace-tier” familiarity.

You’re bringing prepacked lunches to campus

I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with carting around prepacked lunches, but know that there are two types of people in this world: pro-packed-lunch people and anti-packed-lunch people. And, statistically speaking, although I lack the proper studies to back this one up, I reckon it’s a safe bet that pro-packed-lunchers are more likely to wind up acclimatised to their campus as a place of work. That career path is entirely up to you of course, but it’s important to know the signs – no matter how tasty.

You’ve run for, and/or been elected as, a guild president

Ah, guild politics. It is the best of times, it is the worst of times. Like prepacked lunches, a demonstrated keen enthusiasm for guild politics is a handy measure for figuring out whether or not you’re in danger of becoming a lifelong academic. Without wanting to be too disparaging, it seems that guild politicians more often than not land up working for the university, as opposed to the implied trajectory path that is later admission into governmental politics. For that, you want law school. Seriously, though, strong student leadership never hurts, and is something to be admired.

You are actually getting excited about paid research opportunities 

Is this you? It’s probably too late. While there’s nothing wrong with academic research (in fact, there’s a good deal of it needed in Australia at the moment, and generally every country all the time), the career of a researcher is more often than not intertwined with universities. If this isn’t where you see yourself going, avoid the lure of semi-immediate paid employment following graduation. You’re likely to be accepted because you know the staff, and you know that you’re going to be paid because it’s a legitimate operation that they’re running. That’s a tempting offer – just know that you’ll be back once that project is done.

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Jonathon Davidson is studying journalism at Murdoch University in Perth.

(Lead image: 30 Rock)