diff --git a/app/controllers/user_controller.ts b/app/controllers/user_controller.ts
index 35f83c8..560733a 100644
--- a/app/controllers/user_controller.ts
+++ b/app/controllers/user_controller.ts
@@ -10,11 +10,16 @@ export default class UserController {
 
   // GET /users/@me
   async me({ auth }: HttpContext) {
+    const user = auth.user!
     return {
       success: true,
       data: {
-        ...auth.user?.serialize(),
-        email: auth.user!.email || '',
+        ...user.serialize(),
+        firstName: user.firstName,
+        lastName: user.lastName,
+        email: user.email,
+        preferences: user.preferences,
+        pastStudentId: user.pastStudentId,
       },
     }
   }
@@ -52,7 +57,14 @@ export default class UserController {
     await user.save()
     return {
       success: true,
-      data: user,
+      data: {
+        ...user.serialize(),
+        firstName: user.firstName,
+        lastName: user.lastName,
+        email: user.email,
+        preferences: user.preferences,
+        pastStudentId: user.pastStudentId,
+      },
     }
   }
 
@@ -70,7 +82,14 @@ export default class UserController {
       return response.notFound({ message: 'User not found' })
     }
 
-    return { success: true, data: user }
+    return {
+      success: true,
+      data: {
+        ...user.serialize(),
+        preferences: user.preferences,
+        pastStudentId: user.pastStudentId,
+      },
+    }
   }
 
   // POST /merge-student
@@ -81,6 +100,13 @@ export default class UserController {
     user.pastStudentId = pastStudentId
     await user.save()
 
-    return { success: true, data: user }
+    return {
+      success: true,
+      data: {
+        ...user.serialize(),
+        preferences: user.preferences,
+        pastStudentId: user.pastStudentId,
+      },
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/app/models/user.ts b/app/models/user.ts
index cc31afd..0923cdb 100644
--- a/app/models/user.ts
+++ b/app/models/user.ts
@@ -1,55 +1,14 @@
 import { DateTime } from 'luxon'
 import { BaseModel, column, computed } from '@adonisjs/lucid/orm'
 import { DbRememberMeTokensProvider } from '@adonisjs/auth/session'
-import { HttpContext } from '@adonisjs/core/http'
 
 export default class User extends BaseModel {
-  serializeExtras = true
-
-  serialize() {
-    const ctx = HttpContext.get()
-
-    if (!ctx) {
-      this.serializeExtras = false
-      const serialized = super.serialize()
-      delete serialized.pastStudentId
-      delete serialized.extras
-      return serialized
-    }
-
-    const requestUrl = ctx.request.url()
-    const isUsersRoute = requestUrl.startsWith('/users')
-    const isMeRoute = requestUrl.includes('/users/@me')
-
-    this.serializeExtras = isUsersRoute
-
-    const serialized = super.serialize()
-    if (!isUsersRoute) {
-      delete serialized.pastStudentId
-      delete serialized.extras
-    }
-
-    if (isMeRoute) {
-      console.log('Serializing full name for /users/@me route')
-      serialized.firstName = this.firstName
-      serialized.lastName = this.lastName
-    }
-
-    if (this.serializeExtras) {
-      serialized.preferences = this.preferences
-    } else {
-      delete serialized.preferences
-    }
-
-    return serialized
-  }
-
   static rememberMeTokens = DbRememberMeTokensProvider.forModel(User)
 
   @column({ isPrimary: true })
   declare id: number
 
-  @column()
+  @column({ serializeAs: null })
   declare pastStudentId: number | null
 
   @column()
@@ -72,9 +31,8 @@ export default class User extends BaseModel {
   @column({ serializeAs: null })
   declare extras: Record<string, any>
 
-  @computed()
+  @computed({ serializeAs: null })
   get preferences(): { name: string; emoji: string; color: string }[] {
-    if (!this.serializeExtras) return []
     return this.extras?.preferences || []
   }