Why adapting to a new language and culture is mentally exhausting.
Cognitive load theory explains why I was so tired after school. Every conversation required active processing — language, context, social cues. Nothing was automatic.
The brain has limited working memory capacity. When too much of it is spent on translation and adaptation, there's less room for learning, creativity, or even basic social enjoyment.
Over time, as skills became automated, cognitive load decreased. That's when adaptation really started to happen — when my brain no longer had to try so hard.