1+ Take an interest – make an effort
We all remember the things we are interested in and forget the ones that bore us. This no doubt explains the reason why schoolboys remember football results effortlessly but struggle with dates from their history lessons! Take an active interest in what you want to remember, and focus on it consciosly. One way to make yourself more interested is to ask questions – the more the better!
2+ Repeat things
Repeating things is the best way to remember things for a short time, e.g. remembering a phone number for a few second. ‘Chunking’ or grouping numbers helps you remember them, e.g. the following numbers would be impossible for most of us to remember: 1593574568521473. But look at them in ‘chunking and it becomes much easier: 1593 5745 6852 1473.
3+ Form a mental picture
Another way to make something more memorable is to think about something visual associated with it. Form a mental picture, and the stranger the picture the better your will remember it!
4+ Invent a story
To remember long lists, try inventing a story which includes all the items you want to remember. In experiments, people were asked to remember up to 120 words using this technique and when they were tested afterwards, on average they could remember ninety percent of them.
5+ Organise your ideas
If we organise what we know in a logical way then when we learn more about that subject we understand that better, and so add to our knowledge more easily. Make well-organised notes. Be sure things are clear in your mind. If not, ask questions untill you understand!
6+ Take mental exercise
If you do not want to lose your memory as you get older you need to keep your brain fit, just like your body : ‘ use it or lose it ‘ is the experts’ advice. Logic puzzle, crosswords and mental arithmetic are all good ‘ mental aerobics’.
7+ Take physical exercise
Physical exercise is also important for your memory, because it increases your heart rate and sends more oxygen to your brain, and that makes your memory work better. Exrecise also reduces stress , which is very bad for the memory.
8+ Eat the right things
Scienctists have discovered that the fats found in fish like tuna – as well as in oliva oil – help to improve the memory. Vitamins C and E (found in fruits like oranges, strawberries and red grapps) and vitamin B (found in meat and green vegetables) are all good ‘ brain food’, too.
9+ Drink coffee
Caffeine may not be too good for you, but like exercise, it increases your heart rate and send more oxygen to your brain. A cup of coffee really does help you concentrate when you sit down to study. And if you don’t like coffee , don’t worry – experts believe that chewing gum has the same effect!
Personally I keep repeating things and talking while I’m revising …