10 Memory Tactics You Can Use To Improve Your Study Sessions

Finding it impossible to get something down inside your head? Here are some easy-to-follow yet efficient techniques to help you better memorize your lessons and ace those dreaded exams with flying colors.

Pay Attention

There is a ton of difference between being just present in class and actually attending it. Ask yourself if you are paying enough attention to the lesson being taught to actually repeat it in your own words? If you answer in the affirmative, then that means you have got the concepts down pat and can recall it at a later date without much effort.

Prioritize Your Mental Wellbeing

It is said that an excess of anything is bad, and the same applies to learning. Too much studying can take a toll on your mental health, which will then hinder you from actually making progress. This is why you should study smart and make the most of your time. And be sure to take breaks in between sessions.

Give Your Brain Some Rest

Pulling an all-nighter before the day of the exam may seem like a good idea, but in fact it is actually doing you more harm than good. Be sure to get ample sleep before a test so that your brain is fresh and ready to crunch some numbers when it is time.

Exercise Regularly

And by that we don’t mean you hit the gym to do some deadlifts. Simple anaerobic exercise is necessary to keep the brain active as well as reduce stress. In addition, it helps you get a good night’s sleep, which as discussed above, is very crucial for those studying.

Make Space to Memorize Stuff

Do not rely on your brain to remember and everything, like what day is laundry or what will you have for dinner. This is what smartphones are for – they take away some of the burdens so that we can focus on only remembering the things that really matter.

Attach Emotion

Humans have a tendency to remember stuff with which they attach some sort of feeling. When learning something new, look around you for things you can associate it with. Perhaps it was something you learned the day you were wearing your favorite dress, or a problem which you asked your friend to help you explain.

Acronyms

Acronyms and mnemonics can be a lifesaver for when you want to learn really long terms or formulas. If it is some funny or made up word, even better! There is no shortage of the things you can use this technique on to help you recall them during class or exams.

Time It Right

Ever finished a good book or a movie and experienced having dreams about it? The same applies to your study lesson. Sleep on a complex formula and your brain will process it overnight so when you wake up, you will realize you have renewed understanding about it.

Visualize

This works really well for history lessons, where past events can often be visualized as if they were a movie. Use your power of imagination to transport yourself back in time and immerse yourself in the setting, engaging as many of your senses as you can to paint a picture in your mind about what it was like at the time. Replay the events in a chronological order, and soon you will have mastered that war in the middle ages like it just happened tomorrow.

Repetition

Repeating something over and over is one of the best ways to move something from our short-term memory to long term. This is why you can often recall that song from ten years ago which you used to play all the time. There is no reason why the same technique cannot be used to memorize schoolwork. In fact, you can make it even more easy for your brain to remember by turning it into a song, one that you have already memorized, and then hum it along to its tune.

We hope these tips help you get that much needed memory boost for tackling your tests and help you become a better learner in general. At the end of the day, it is up to you how much you take from this blog.