Have you ever written a word so many times that it stops looking like a word? You’re staring at “book” and suddenly your brain goes, “what even is this collection of letters?” That’s jamais vu , and it’s basically déjà vu’s weird cousin that nobody talks about.
Everyone knows déjà vu, that trippy “I’ve lived this moment before” feeling. Jamais Vu is the opposite: something you know really well suddenly feels utterly unfamiliar, like you just forgot it exists in your brain.
When the Familiar Becomes Foreign
You’re walking your usual route back to your dorm. You’ve walked this route hundreds of times. But today, for some reason, it feels off. Like you’re seeing it for the first time even though you know you’re not. Your brain’s just not functioning correctly.
It happens with words, too. Stare at your own name long enough, and it’ll start looking fake. Your brain knows it’s your name, but the familiarity is gone for just a second.
What’s Actually Going On
Jamais vu occurs when different parts of your brain momentarily stop talking to each other properly. Your temporal cortex, which handles familiarity, isn’t communicating well with your frontal cortex, which double-checks to see if things make sense. One does recognize something, the other doesn’t, and you are left confused.
Researchers believe that it’s actually useful; it is your brain’s way of double-checking when something has become too automated. Like a little reality check.
According to a study at University of St Andrews, participants were asked to repeatedly write out words until they felt something was off. About two-thirds of participants experienced jamais vu after about 30 repetitions or one minute of writing. This study won the Ig Nobel Prize in Literature in 2023 because it managed to reliably create this dissociative experience in healthy people. This proved something we’ve all felt but never really understood.
Why It Happens More in College
College life is essentially engineered to cause jamais vu: you’re stressed, sleep-deprived, running on coffee, and following a routine over and over while being constantly overwhelmed. Your brain is bound to glitch sometimes.
Maybe you’re hanging out at the Plaza with your friends and suddenly feel like you’re watching a scene instead of being in it. Or you’re in a lecture and suddenly forget why you are there. It’s unnerving but fairly common.
When to Actually Worry
If it is a sometimes thing? Perfectly normal. It happens to everyone at some point.
But if it happens frequently, then it may be a sign of burnout. There is a connection between jamais vu, stress, fatigue, and sleep deprivation-all those things students experience on a regular basis. If you can’t seem to shake the feeling or if it happens often, then talk to a professional. It may have a connection with anxiety disorders and other issues.
The Weird Part
Jamais vu is sort of a reminder that our perception of reality is fragile. We assume our brain just records and plays back experiences accurately, but it doesn’t. It’s constantly interpreting everything, and sometimes it just stops. The familiar becomes unfamiliar. Your reflection looks like a stranger. A word you’ve said your whole life sounds made up.
It’s unsettling but also kind of interesting? Our sense of familiarity isn’t automatic-our brain actively creates it. Without that feeling, even things you know well can feel brand new.
The next time this sort of thing happens, when the familiar suddenly becomes strange, don’t freak out. Your brain is just being dramatic. It will pass. Breathe, maybe go outside, and remember that this is just one of those weird things your brain does sometimes. And honestly, at least it makes for decent conversation later.
