This study aims to explore senior high school students’ cognitive experiences in processing information while watching short educational English videos. The main focus includes the processes of working memory, cognitive flexibility, cognitive strategies used to retain new vocabulary, and cognitive obstacles faced along with how students overcome them. A qualitative approach with a phenomenological design was employed to reveal the essence of students' lived learning experiences. The participants were six Grade XI students at SMAN 3 Panyabungan selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using think-aloud activities, observation, semi-structured interviews, and field notes, and were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings indicate that students' working memory operates more effectively when information is supported by visual cues, clear contexts, repetition, and connections to prior knowledge. Meanwhile, cognitive flexibility is demonstrated through students' ability to dynamically shift attention between audio, subtitles, and visual elements. Dominant cognitive strategies employed include contextual guessing, utilizing visual cues, reading subtitles, replaying, pausing, and note-taking. Main cognitive obstacles encountered include fast speech rates, unfamiliar vocabulary or idioms, dense information, and divided attention. In conclusion, watching short educational videos is an active cognitive process that is both meaningful and mentally demanding, where learning success heavily depends on how students manage memory load and regulate their attention.