Let me tell you something, I remember back in the days when I was still in college and anytime they gave me an amount money for breakfast, I used to be happy because the amount can get me anything they sell in the school and I will be okay but guess what today, that same amount of money are giving to toddlers for breakfast and they will complain that is too little, it wouldn't do much for them and that is because the purchasing power of Fiat is dying every year. What you bough last 5 years for a $, you can't do that today, that applied to bitcoin, not saying we might not see bitcoin at those price again but with development coming so far in bitcoin, $40k will become a normal for people that have the means to buy and $7k might be a history.
When Bitcoin was traded around $3, many of us here didn't have the means to buy it then, many of use in 2009 would'nt look at bitcoin twice but it is because the nature and profit is appealing that is why they want it and people that have the means and want to buy are going to buy and they will sell when they have a significant profits.
- Why would people invest loads of money in BTC after the halving and not before?
Bitcoin bull run most of the time is after the halving, they don't want to be stuck when they aren't sure yet. The answer is simple, has believe that Bitcoin price grow in every four year circle and they know that miners wll anticipate for the price increased because they will most likely be operating at lost.
I love the way you used your college experience to explain the price movement of Bitcoin, any newbie would understand perfectly if he can relate well. For some weeks now, the price of Bitcoin has been wondering about in $42, $43. And this might even be the least we may see or experience this year, it's possible. Talking about the devalue of fiat currency, that is a continuous process especially in my country, our fiat currency get worse every now and then. The only way to escape is keep some of your savings in Bitcoin network.