When endings approach, people choose the familiar over the novel
When people believe that a door is closing -- that they have a limited amount of time left to enjoy something, such as dining out or traveling -- they gravitate to the comfort of something familiar rather than the excitement of something new.
they were given the choice between a new experience or a familiar, beloved one -- such as reading a new novel versus rereading an old favorite, or visiting a new city versus revisiting a city they loved
They found evidence that it was not simply because the familiar experiences were a safe bet that participants knew they would enjoy, but also because they were more likely to find those familiar things personally meaningful.
They want to end on a high note by ending on a familiar note."
"The research is especially interesting because, on the surface, it runs counter to the idea of the bucket list, whereby people tend to pursue novelty -- things they've never done but have always wanted to do -- as they approach the end of life
findings could help people better structure their time to maximize their enjoyment of experiences, for example by visiting an old favorite attraction on the last rather than the first day of a vacation