For many, the thought of memorizing is about as sexy as white socks in sandals. Surely you too have experienced how frustrating it can be not being able to remember certain things – especially in important but stressful situations such as exams. But don’t worry – with our helpful tips and tricks, learning by heart will quickly become child’s play for you!
Effective memorization
In order to memorize effectively, you should definitely avoid the following things.
Don’ts – what you should definitely avoid when memorizing
- learning bulimia: Do you also belong to those who crammed all the knowledge into themselves the evening before the exam and still drive quite well with it? Interesting. The only problem here is that the excessive information thrown in at once also goes away as quickly as it came. So nothing sticks that is unattractive precisely because you will certainly need the brutally absorbed and then forgotten material later on.
- Distractions: Studies show that it takes more than 20 minutes to regain focus after an oh-so-brief distraction. It takes even longer to memorize, and I guess the prospect isn’t exactly motivating, is it? It is best to turn off your cell phone and set a time period of 45 minutes, for example, during which you are completely free of distractions. And then there’s Dolce Vita again!
- Don’t take breaks: The brain needs a break too. Hours of non-stop memorization will sooner or later result in you not being able to remember anything. Therefore, make sure you have appropriate rest periods. An example of this is the so-called «Pomodoro» method, which I will explain to you in more detail later.
Memorize quickly – tips
Now for the things that can add a whole lot to your ability to memorize material. Here we go!
- Dissect your fabric: Summarize big learning content and make sure you memorize only what is really essential. Get straight to the point and write them down in your own words. Cut out everything that isn’t important.
- Visualize – because the eye learns with you: Hey, your brain wants to have fun too. Facts, facts, facts? Can also be made more beautiful, for example by letting graphics, summaries, diagrams, mind maps or different colors speak. Apps like make your work easier and ensure that you not only save valuable space on your brain hard drive, but also valuable time.
- Now it’s getting loud – recite content to yourself: Strength does not always lie in stillness, because now it is a matter of saying the prepared learning content out loud. Certainly something has already stuck with the writing down. By saying it out loud, you not only determine whether and where there is still a problem, but also deepen your understanding of the learning material.
- Use virtual flashcards: The more you repeat this process, the less you’ll have to resort to the back. It becomes particularly interesting if you use virtual flashcards, such as those from . This way, memorizing is really fun and you save time at the same time. It is practical that you can learn not only at home or at the university, but from anywhere. So why not use the time on the stepper in the gym, on the train or in the doctor’s waiting room sensibly and unwind the learning material again?
- Use mental super tricks: Often there is one or the other thing that you just can not remember. In this case, for whatever reason, your brain thinks that it would be great to refuse to take in a certain piece of information. But not with you! Mind over matter – in this case, the rescue means a suitable one mnemonics to use. See Methods in the following part for more information.
- Learning can also be done passively: Another super trick that can help you learn is passive learning. Write down terms that you find difficult to remember, for example with a Post-It note on the fridge or on the mirror. Create a learning poster and stick it up where it is clearly visible. Even if you don’t learn consciously, your subconscious absorbs the information through constant, unconscious repetition – you’ll see!
- Create the right atmosphere: Who has the leisure to study when there is complete chaos all around? The best thing to do is to make a clean sweep in the truest sense of the word and organize your desk. Because outer chaos is often synonymous with inner chaos. Then make sure that the environment is quiet and cell phones and co. are in sleep mode. Then nothing stands in the way of effective memorization.
- Find out what type of learner you are: Can you concentrate better or worse with music for studying? For example, you can find concentration-boosting, relaxing “study music” on YouTube. So-called Alphawaves or Lofi Music are also highly recommended in this context. These are also sounds that improve your memory and ability to concentrate. If this is not for you, then absolute silence is of course not wrong either.
- Don’t stress: We all know how hard it is to remember things when you’re stressed. Of course, an “I don’t care” attitude is also out of place here, since a little tension can definitely promote the learning process, but always try to keep an overview and not let yourself be disturbed while learning.
- Make sure you have the right base: Once again only monster energy drinks and chips at the start? That might not be the best idea when studying. With a balanced and healthy diet, ensure that your brain performs at its best over the long term and doesn’t just live on the sugar and caffeine rush. Ideas: fruit, yogurt, whole grains, green tea, nuts.
memorization methods
Now I would like to give you the most well-known methods for memorizing.
mnemonics
These are methods that can increase your memory and memory performance. For example, build mnemonic bridges within the learning content (typical example «Anyone who writes with an «h» is stupid») or create your own story around the learning material. How about, for example, «If the oxygen molecule enters into a relationship with the hydrogen molecule, then…». You can find out more about this here.
One of the most effective mnemonics – the loci method
Maybe you’ve heard of the so-called loci method, which is one of the absolute Jedi tricks of memorization: It has been used since ancient times and brings promising results. As the name loci (lat. plural of «locus», room, place) already suggests, this is about connecting things that you want to remember with a place in your home and internalizing them in this way. The point is to create a memory route in your head.
Example: You enter the apartment and link the entrance hallway with Napoleon’s birthday, for example. The kitchen stands for his first war, and you link the bedroom to his last banishment, etc. Incidentally, the loci method was also used in the series «Sherlock» by Benedict Cumberbatch as a cult detective. And a bit of Sherlock’s brains can’t hurt your exam result, can it?
Pomodoro method
You work in a highly focused manner for 25 minutes, then take a five-minute break and then start again. Bet that your productivity will increase significantly and you will be able to remember everything much better? You can read more about it here.
Conclusion: memorizing is not the enemy!
Especially in subjects such as business administration, medicine and law, but also in all other studies and school subjects, you will not always be able to avoid learning by heart. However, this is not as bad as you might think. With simple techniques you can get the best out of your memory performance – without a net or double bottom!
To give you more time to use these memorization techniques, helps you create flashcards, summaries and mind maps online quickly and easily. Get started right here! 🙂