Have you ever gone to class, sat there for an hour, listened to the lecture, took copious notes, and then took a test and failed miserably? Have you ever met someone, asked their name, and then two minutes later couldn’t recall it?
If you’re among the masses that can’t remember the three simple items you were supposed to buy at the supermarket, don’t worry, your temporary amnesia doesn’t have to be permanent. Just like how your muscles increase in strength through repeated use, your mind (and memory) strengthen in similar ways.
I remember my mother would say “if you repeat something three times out loud, you won’t forget it.” No matter how many times I repeated it though, I still can’t remember which constitutional amendment abolished slavery. Thirteenth? Sixteenth? In order for something to be effectively remembered, it must be associated with more than just repetition.
One effective way to remember information is to use a mnemonic. Mnemonics are techniques for simplifying otherwise difficult-to-remember information. An example would be “My very excellent mother just sent us nine pizzas” for remembering the order of planets in our solar system (except Pluto is no longer a planet, so I guess mom just sent us nine of some unspecified object).
Another effective memory technique is to use your whole mind to remember something. Don’t just look at the notes on your page. Associate the words you see with a pleasant memory, or your favorite smell or food. The more senses you use to remember something, the better. So when you see in your notes that Abraham Lincoln was the Sixteenth president, remind yourself that on your sixteenth birthday you were free to drive a car, just as the slaves were about to be free from bondage because of honest Abe. Watch yourself write the sentence “Abraham Lincoln was the sixteenth president” as you also say it out loud. Again, the more associations you make in your mind, the less likely it is that your brain will let that information go.
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