By Kavya Thirunavukkarasan (25S03I)
It’s 30th September. Promotional examinations are finally over. The long-awaited freedom has arrived, and your time is all yours. Instead of diving right into your long list of movies to watch, shows to catch up on, places to visit, and activities to do, you realise that you feel… bored? The thrill of relaxation just doesn’t appeal to you anymore, and you are left wondering why you no longer crave the things you’ve worked so hard for.
After months of grinding and focusing entirely on studying, many students face a strange sense of emptiness as soon as the stress and pressure disappear. The feeling is almost counterintuitive—you’ve been looking forward to this freedom for weeks, yet now that it’s finally here, it feels underwhelming. But why? Shouldn’t this be the time to enjoy the freedom you’ve earned, to relax without guilt?
The Science of Happiness: Why does freedom feel unfulfilling?
During the promos season, you are laser-focused on achieving one clear goal: doing well in your exams and reaching certain expectations, whether they come from your parents, teachers, or yourself. This external pressure gives you a sense of purpose and a reason to push yourself every day, even on days when studying is the last thing you want to do. Hence, you often don’t have the luxury to pause and consider your feelings or think about what you truly want—everything is directed towards that one goal: academic validation.
However, when the exams are finally over and there is no pressure weighing you down, there’s nothing left to hold things together anymore. You no longer have that clear direction driving your actions, and without it, relaxation may not feel as exciting or rewarding as you thought it would be.
The science of happiness states that external pressures—exams or deadlines—have a deep influence on our internal happiness levels. When those pressures disappear, so too does the sense of purpose that was driving you forward. Without that sense of purpose, your mind can feel aimless, and that aimlessness can lead to feelings of boredom or even dissatisfaction. The exhaustion that you managed to keep at bay comes crashing in, and instead of indulging in fun activities, you lose the motivation to do anything at all.
Overjustification Effect: Why do I lose interest?
During the months leading up to exams, your focus shifts entirely toward getting good grades. We can all agree that at some point, your drive to study is no longer fuelled by a genuine interest in learning but rather just a matter of fulfilling an obligation. In other words, you’re no longer studying because you enjoy it; you’re studying because you have to. The more your actions are tied to the external reward (in this case, grades), the less enjoyment you derive from the activity itself.
The overjustification effect also applies to your hobbies and personal interests. Without the pressure to deserve your relaxation, the activities that once seemed so desirable may now feel unimportant. Your brain struggles to find meaning in them because the external pressure that once made them a reward is gone.
The Paradox of Achievement: Why do I not feel happy?
Psychologist Kennon Sheldon’s Paradox of Achievement explores that achieving major goals often results in a temporary surge of happiness, followed by a quick return to baseline emotions. This phenomenon, known as “hedonic adaptation”, suggests that while we may experience a brief moment of euphoria after reaching a significant goal (such as finishing exams), this feeling is fleeting.
Before the exams, you likely fantasized about all the things you’d do once you were free but when the big day arrives and your exams are over, the satisfaction you anticipated doesn’t last. You’ve adapted to this new reality of freedom, and suddenly, the things you thought would bring you joy feel routine. This quick adaptation to your newfound freedom explains why, despite longing for relaxation, it feels less fulfilling than you imagined.
The End…?
In writing this article, I’ve realised one thing: after exploring this whole phenomenon, I feel less motivated to wrap things up with a solid conclusion. Finishing this piece doesn’t feel as satisfying as I had anticipated, which only further goes on to highlight the paradox itself.
Maybe the paradox of achievement is more than just a theory; it’s something many of us experience. It is completely ok to find yourself unmotivated to get out of bed and do something. It is completely ok to find yourself losing interest in what you enjoyed doing. And it is completely ok to just stare at the ceiling, head empty, no thoughts. Embrace the art of doing nothing and cherish the time you have for yourself. Ultimately, it’s in these moments of stillness that we rediscover what truly brings us joy (even if that is just scrolling instagram reels or tiktok for hours in your bed).
The End.
