You’ll ever hardly meet a person who doesn’t get intimidated by exams. In most cases, the moment you see the questions the biggest part of information will come back to you provided you’ve been preparing well. However, sometimes it’s important to incorporate special memory techniques to make your exam preparation more productive. Here are some for your consideration.
Get Organized
This might not sound as one of useful memory tricks, but being unorganized is the first obstacle on your journey of training your brain. A mess in your room, on your desk, and on your computer will prevent you from focusing on the main tasks because there will always be small things that will distract you. Only by clearing out the clutter around you, will you be able to organize everything in your head.
Mnemonic Devices
This memory trick is a lot simpler than its spelling. The mnemonic approach means converting information from a complicated form into a more comprehensible one. The most widespread example of mnemonic devices is using the first letters of items in an organized list for creating a phrase that will help to memorize the order of those items. For example, when you need to memorize the order of planets in the solar system.
Photographic Memory
Not everyone has the photographic memory but everyone can use its principles for exam preparation. The most common one is creating mind maps and diagrams. For example, put the main concept in the middle of a sheet and write all following information in blocks around it. This will help you to recall information easier later.
Smell Associations
You might think there is no connection between studying and smells but if you’re one of those people who have a highly developed sense of smell, you’ve probably noticed that you often associate scents will your surroundings. You can try using a certain perfume or aftershave when preparing for an exam and then while having it. The smell will take you back to the preparation period and you’ll recollect information faster.
Write a Story
If you need to learn very formal and scientific information, you can bring more life into it by making a story out of it. For example, a rule from physics can be transformed into a narrative with its components being main characters and their actions correlating with human actions. This approach is perfect for dry and precise pieces of information.
Sleep Enough
The benefits of a good night sleep are indisputable, and one of them is directly connected to the functioning of your memory. When you’re asleep, your brain is doing the essential work of converting all data from short-term memory into the long-term one. Only after this process is over, will you be able to fish out any information. If you don’t get enough sleep, however, a part of the information that is not converted will be lost forever.
Your brain is a unique tool, and it’s capable of more than you’ll ever imagine. With some extra training, you’ll be able to unleash new abilities of your brain and improve your studying techniques.