Memory tips for the College Student

by Karen
(Campton, KY)

In my college career I have been forced to adopt many memory tricks to improve memory. The most important thing I would suggest is exercising the brain frequently. I love doing Sudoku puzzles. They really give my brain a workout. Games like Trivia Pursuit or even Jeopardy are also fun ways of getting the brain to practice recalling information. A good diet that avoids excess sugar, which can really give you problems when the rush crashes, is also key to improving memory.

When all else fails, there are several tricks I use to remember things I forget. The most frequently used memory trick I use is word associations. I try to associate words that sound similar to the answers of the questions I am trying to memorize. Another good technique is taking the first letters of a phrase that you need to remember, to create a word. I make up rhymes and funny stories to go along with them as well. I have been known to make up songs that go along with familiar tunes. London Bridge is one tune that I have used frequently with this method. Creative thinking is a must when memorizing important information.

Visualization techniques work as well. I have learned that I can visualize things associated with what I am trying to remember, in unusual images, and this works as well. For instance, if I am trying to remember an important date like a birthday or anniversary, I would visualize the person wearing something that relates to that date.

Memorizing numbers is one of the easiest tricks I have learned. The mind can only remember so many numbers in a string. Therefore, it is necessary to break down larger numbers into smaller sets. An example would be to take a 16 digit number and break it down into 4 sets of 4 numbers. The most important thing is to do whatever works for you. The brain is designed to remember what you need it to know. We just have to learn what works best for us as individuals.