We all know the reason for getting an education is to gain new knowledge you can use and remember for the rest of your life. However, as an exam approaches and you have pages and pages of notes to memorize, whether or not you will need this information years from now is the least of your concerns. You just need to pass the exam. This is why having a good memory is very important piece to success in college. If you struggle with remembering class material, I have some advice for you and like anything else your memory can get better with practice.
First, the best way to remember something is through REPETITION. A good way to remember information when using repetition is to read, say, and write what you want to remember. Just reviewing your notes for hours at a time isn’t going to help you store facts in your long-term memory. If you are a visual learner, rewrite your notes in a more organized manner and create charts, graphs or mind maps to memorize material. If you are an auditory learner, try reading the information out loud to yourself. Coming up with mnemonic devices (ex: ROYGBIV for the colors of the rainbow) might be helpful.
Secondly, study in intervals. Experiments done with word list recalls suggest that you are more likely to remember the first and last words of the list rather the ones in the middle. This also applies to academic material. For example, lets say you sit down and study for two hours. You will probably remember best the material you studied in the first ten minutes and material you studied in the last ten minutes. This is why it is best to break up your study periods and try to memorize in intervals. Here is something to try: Decide on a length of time that you are really going to focus on studying (Make it realistic. I suggest about 30-45 minutes). Then take a 10 to 15 minute break. Now is the chance to check your email, go on Facebook or respond to all those text messages. After the short break, go back to studying again. Keep trying to remember the material from the previous study interval while adding a little bit of new stuff each time. By studying this way, you are also working in repetition.
Lastly, don’t cram for exams. You won’t have enough time to process the information more than once and you won’t memorize effectively by trying to study for hours without giving yourself a break. It’s best if you try to review your notes throughout the semester but realistically, I would start about a week before the exam. Personally, I like to type my notes so I can print them out and keep them with me at all times. When it comes to memorizing, every little bit of studying counts, even if it’s just 10 minutes.
I hope you remember all this!
First, the best way to remember something is through REPETITION. A good way to remember information when using repetition is to read, say, and write what you want to remember. Just reviewing your notes for hours at a time isn’t going to help you store facts in your long-term memory. If you are a visual learner, rewrite your notes in a more organized manner and create charts, graphs or mind maps to memorize material. If you are an auditory learner, try reading the information out loud to yourself. Coming up with mnemonic devices (ex: ROYGBIV for the colors of the rainbow) might be helpful.
Secondly, study in intervals. Experiments done with word list recalls suggest that you are more likely to remember the first and last words of the list rather the ones in the middle. This also applies to academic material. For example, lets say you sit down and study for two hours. You will probably remember best the material you studied in the first ten minutes and material you studied in the last ten minutes. This is why it is best to break up your study periods and try to memorize in intervals. Here is something to try: Decide on a length of time that you are really going to focus on studying (Make it realistic. I suggest about 30-45 minutes). Then take a 10 to 15 minute break. Now is the chance to check your email, go on Facebook or respond to all those text messages. After the short break, go back to studying again. Keep trying to remember the material from the previous study interval while adding a little bit of new stuff each time. By studying this way, you are also working in repetition.
Lastly, don’t cram for exams. You won’t have enough time to process the information more than once and you won’t memorize effectively by trying to study for hours without giving yourself a break. It’s best if you try to review your notes throughout the semester but realistically, I would start about a week before the exam. Personally, I like to type my notes so I can print them out and keep them with me at all times. When it comes to memorizing, every little bit of studying counts, even if it’s just 10 minutes.
I hope you remember all this!
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