10 hacks to improve your memory if you’re a student
Need to boost your memory? Here are 10 hacks to improve your memory if you’re a student (and even if you’re not)!
Memorizing a lot of information is a huge part of the college experience. As a result, many students wish they had photographic memory to save them time!
Luckily, the ability to remember and retrieve huge amounts of data quickly is a skill. And any skill can be learned and improved. If you want to know how to boost your memory, this article is exactly what you need.
1) Learn something new
We already know that best way to stay in good physical shape is to exercise. And out memory is no different. Just like our body, our memory can be trained. And a good way to train it is to learn something new constantly. Importantly, it should be something that will help to create new neurological paths in your brain, so it cannot be something you are used to doing.
Here are some ideas of new things you can learn:
- New language.
- Playing an instrument.
- New skill, like drawing, baking, or pottery.
- Learning a new dance style.
- Playing games like chess or Sudoku.
- Changing your routine and taking different route to college.
2) Try mnemonics
Mnemonics is one of the most effective hacks you can use when you need to remember something. It is a way to code and retrieve information with acronyms, songs, rhymes, or abbreviations. For example, to remember all the solar system planets in a correct order one can remember the phrase, “My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas”. Every first letter in the world represents the first letter of the planet’s name (Mercury, Venus, Earth, and so on).
Another great way to use mnemonics is music. You probably remember that children learn the alphabet via song. It is much easier to remember information while singing and/or rhyming. That’s why we always remember catchy lyrics from popular songs. For example, if you need to remember to buy college essay at your favorite essay writing service, try to make a song out of this task. Use a melody of an existing song you like and sing it with words like “I’m going to order my essay as soon as I get home”.
3) Group information in chunks
It is easier for your brain to remember something when it is divided into small and manageable chunks. The same way we remember phone numbers. It is easier to remember it like 555-674-2956 than 5556742956.
Need to store something for a long time in your brain? Divide it and learn group by group.
4) Repeat out loud
We are much more likely to record information that we repeat several times because it makes our neural pathways stronger. So repeating something is extremely helpful.
Repeat something you need to learn several times. But do not just read it… it’s much more effective to actually repeat it out loud.
The next step is to try and retrieve this information. A couple of hours later or the next day, sit down and try to remember exactly what you’ve repeated. Do not read it again or open your notes until you try as hard as you can to retrieve it.
5) Write instead of typing
Whatever you need to record mentally – decentralized internet terms, grocery list, family birthdays, or every bone in the human body – write it down. Do not type it; instead take a notebook and write it down on paper.
Why? Because physical activity stimulates your brain to pay more attention to information. And not only does this mean that your brain is much more active when you are writing, but we also tend to reframe information while writing, which is a more active learning type.
6) Create a mind palace
Yes, like Sherlock. It is an ancient technique from Greek and Roman times that helps people to remember huge amounts of information. It is still the most effective way to keep everything in mind.
To use this technique, think of a place you know extremely well – your room or way to school. Imagine yourself standing there. Find out the places and features that can be used as hooks to store information. Now attach a piece of information to one specific place. Imagine yourself putting it or changing the hook (replace a book with a box of vitamins you need to take every day).
It sounds a bit tricky, but you can do it with effort and strong visualization.
7) Change your diet
It is not a secret that a healthy diet impacts mental and physical health as well as cognitive functioning. But there are specific foods that are good for memory and those that are harmful.
The good ones are:
- Coffee.
- Vegetables, berries, greens.
- Nuts.
- Olive oil.
- Fatty fish with Omega-3 acid.
- Chicken or turkey.
- Avocado.
The bad ones are:
- Sugar.
- Butter.
- Processed foods.
- Cheese.
- Salt.
- Red meat.
- Anything fried.
Overall, a diet close to the Mediterranean is generally considered one of the healthiest for people.
8) Explain it
Another excellent way to record something in your brain is to explain it to someone else. Teaching and explaining help to retrieve data and find some gaps in your own memory and knowledge. Try explaining concepts or topics to kids or others. If there is no one to teach, just explain it to an imaginary pupil out loud.
9) Exercise and yoga
Physical activity is directly linked to cognitive functions. You can go for a 20-minute walk before an exam to boost your brain. It is also important to exercise regularly.
One of the best ways to remember something is to go for a jog after a learning session. Yoga has also proven to be effective in boosting memory and retrieval speed. Ding it for 20 minutes a day might do you wonders.
10) Give up using GPS
Recent studies have shown that relying on navigation all the time shrinks our hippocampus. And this part of the brain is responsible for moving information from our short-term memory to our long-term one. So it is better to not use GPS unless it is totally necessary. It might be an extra challenge, but can be extremely helpful for your brain.
How can you boost your memory?
Remembering things is a skill that anyone can improve. You can use different mnemonic techniques, build a mind palace, and repeat important data regularly. But it is also important to stay healthy, exercise, and sleep well.
