Why Does Time Feel Like It Flies When We Have Fun?

Imagine your brain is like a camera taking pictures. When you are having super fun, your camera takes fewer pictures because everything looks the same and exciting. So when you look back, it seems like only a little time passed.

When you are bored, like waiting for a bus that never comes, your brain takes lots of little pictures to make sure you do not miss anything important. Because there are so many pictures, it feels like more time has gone by.

Think of time as a rubber band. When you are happy, the band is loose and easy to stretch quickly. But when you are stressed or bored, the band gets tight and pulls slowly. This is why a minute on a rollercoaster feels different than a minute in math class.

Your brain uses attention as fuel. If your attention is busy doing something cool, it does not have enough energy to watch the clock closely. That makes time disappear faster!