6 ways to remember things

15Jan

Learning is very important in every school subject. Of course, understanding things first is needed, but getting what you learned to stick in your brain is up to you. Some research says that you may forget something if you don't revisit it within 24 hours after first hearing it.

The most effective way to acquire information and to be able to easily recall it, is to memorize things like language, math formulas, historical dates, and so on. 
Everyone's brains work a little differently, so it's important to understand how our own brains work and adapt our own learning to fit our unique abilities. So with that in mind, we've put together six key ways to remember things. One technique might work for everything, or there might be one or two that will work better for different subjects.
 

Draw A Picture

Make visual diagrams to help you remember information if you tend to remember how things look, or if you're a visual learner. An example might be adding pictures next to term definitions in Biology to help you remember scientific processes.

Make Rhymes

Rhyming is an excellent way to remember things. Try inventing rhymes. It’s also known as mnemonics and these help you remember things like the year Columbus set off on the voyage that eventually got him to America. "In fourteen hundred and ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue." 

Use Acronyms

Using acronyms is a great way to remember difficult concepts. Young people are experts at using acronyms when texting each other. Lol, imho and idk are just a few obvious examples. It makes sense then to apply them to your studies. 
 For example, PEE is another important acronym when writing an English essay. To write a paragraph, you start with the Point (or the idea) you’re making, then Evidence (normally with a quotation), and then Explain what you mean.

Copy things out

Rote learning is one of the oldest and most effective ways for students to remember things. It might seem outdated today and boring but, repetitive as it may seem, this is often one of the most effective ways to get new information to stick.  Mathematic tables are a prime example of something that should be rote learned. It's better for verbal learners, so if it doesn't work for you, you've got options.

Write a Story

Creating a story to explain a series of facts or a complicated spelling is another type of mnemonic learning. For example, if you’re trying to remember the lines of the periodic table, drawing it out with a story gives a structure for places to remember the chemical groups. A good example of the reactivity of metals is, "Please send cats, monkeys, and zebras in cages, and padlock them." This sounds silly, but it means Potassium, Sodium, Calcium, Magnesium, Aluminum, Zinc, Iron, Lead, Copper, Mercury, Silver, and Platinum. Broken down into relatable everyday language makes remembering easier and less daunting. 

Teach Someone Else

It's proven that when you teach another person a concept or lesson or formula, you focus much more than when just revising alone. Whether you’re a social person or more introverted, finding a classmate or family member to “teach” can be a great way to learn and revise. It's fun to share knowledge and explain stuff to each other. It's also fun to see how your parent or sibling feels about what you're learning by giving them a presentation.