Transparency Item: The Perspectives section of the Graphic is comprised of articles based on opinion. This is the opinion and perspective of the writer.
College is supposed to be fun. Not just in hindsight, not just in Instagram sunset dumps at the end of the semester, but in the middle of a random Tuesday when walking to class or sitting in the same seat as always.
Even in a place like Pepperdine — where the ocean is always visible and the sunsets never really get old — college can start to feel oddly repetitive.
If the semester feels flatter than expected, it’s not because something is going wrong — it’s because the brain is doing exactly what it’s designed to do.
A psychological phenomenon called habituation explains why things lose their excitement over time.
Habituation is a basic form of learning in which behavioral responses decrease after repeated exposure to the same stimulus, helping the brain filter out the familiar so it can focus on what is new and important, according to a study in the National Library of Medicine.
The first bite of ice cream is always the best. The first day of vacation feels electric. Even the smell of a new place fades after a while.
No matter how exciting something is at first, the brain eventually adjusts and treats it as normal. That’s habituation in action.
There’s also research showing anticipation itself can generate strong positive emotions. Mental simulation of future rewards activates the brain’s reward system and releases dopamine, often producing more pleasure during the build-up than during the actual experience, according to Psychology Today.
It’s the idea of what’s coming that excites us. The brain works a lot like a social media feed.
New posts show up at the top, grabbing attention first. Older posts don’t vanish, but they get pushed further down, harder to find unless someone scrolls back.
That’s why college can start to feel routine. The campus doesn’t change, the walk to class stays the same and even things that once were fun blend into the background.
The solution isn’t waiting for something exciting to happen — it’s learning how to create newness again.
One way to do that is by rethinking what “fun” actually means.
We assume fun should always feel good in the moment, but that’s only one version of it. In reality, there are three types of fun, and a meaningful college semester usually has a mix of all three.
Immediate fun is the obvious one: fun in the moment and fun when you look back on it. This is laughing with friends, spontaneous beach trips, late-night food runs, cheering at a Waves sports game or showing up to a campus club meeting just to see what it’s about.
These moments feel light and joyful while they’re happening.
Growth fun doesn’t always feel fun at the time but becomes meaningful later. This looks like going to an event alone, speaking up in class when unsure, trying out for a club or saying yes to something that is just scary enough.
These moments can feel awkward or uncomfortable in real time but often shape who we become. When we look back, we realize they were important to our growth.
Story fun isn’t fun in the moment and isn’t even fun immediately after, but it becomes a good story. Getting lost. Missing the bus. A day where everything goes wrong.
These experiences might feel frustrating at the time, but they add texture to our lives and become part of the stories we start conversations with later.
If the semester only includes the first type of fun, it can start to feel shallow. If it only includes the second, it can feel exhausting.
What makes college memorable is allowing space for all three. The truth is that fun doesn’t just happen on its own.
You can’t sit around waiting for life to become exciting. Every once in a while, someone might pull us out of a rut, but long-term, we are responsible for how our life feels.
Psychology shows mindset plays a powerful role in experience. How one behaves — smiling, showing curiosity, engaging with others — can influence both the internal mood and how people respond, according to a study in the National Library of Medicine.
Don’t wait to feel happy before acting happy — act happy, and the brain eventually follows.
Behavior Before Emotion
Another thing that quietly drains fun from college is constant phone use.
Many never really learned phone etiquette because they grew up alongside the technology.
Endless scrolling kills anticipation and flattens novelty, making everything feel the same. Many experts who study attention and digital behavior said constant stimulation from phones can reduce our ability to experience real-world rewards fully, according to Lone Star Neurology.
Cutting back isn’t about being boring — it’s about letting real moments feel sharp again.
Who we surround ourselves with also matters more than we think.
A simple way to evaluate relationships is to notice how we feel after spending time with someone. Some people leave us feeling energized and lighter, while others leave us feeling drained or insecure.
College is too short to spend energy on people who make life feel heavier. Choosing relationships that bring encouragement and a sense of belonging makes everyday experiences feel lighter and more enjoyable.
A more fun semester rarely happens by accident. It grows from intentional choices.
Trying something new each day — even something minor — can shift how routines feel. Taking a different route to class. Starting a conversation with someone new.
Showing up to a Late Night Lineup event on campus. Joining a new club. Participating in Greek life. Cheering at a game in the student section.
Saying yes to opportunities that might otherwise feel easier to avoid.
Doing things that feel just scary enough to spark growth. Creating experiences to look forward to.
This is how dopamine becomes something that is built, not just stumbled upon.
Fun isn’t only something that appears on its own — it’s something shaped through action and intention. The more deliberately college life is approached, the more it begins to feel meaningful, memorable and worth holding onto.
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Contact Hana Wadlow via email: hana.wadlow@pepperdine.edu or by Instagram: @hana.wadlow