"At school, some learning by heart was compulsory, though not irksome. But this intake was out-distanced many times, as it always is among people who need poetry, by a private anthology, both of those automatically absorbed and of poems consciously chosen and memorized as though one were stocking up for a desert island or for a stretch of solitary." ― Patrick Leigh Fermor, A Time of Gifts

Even though you need to study for your exams or you need to learn a new language, there is always a hope to avoid embarrassing memory lapses. Moreover, everyone wants to be mentally sharp. Fortunately, improving memory is easier than it sounds to be. You just need to try out some smart memorization tactics and make critical adjustments to your learning habit. 

Let us discuss the science behind memorization first then five key tactics and tips for memorizing to boost your memory quickly.

The Science Behind Memorization 

To get to know about how memory tips work, it essential to understand the science behind memorization. People wonder how a short term and long memory along with recall mechanism works. To address the mystery, scientists and philosophers have been trying to figure that out for many centuries. Still, they are making new discoveries every day. 

In 2016, British scientists Tim Bliss, Graham Collingridge, and Richard Morris won the world's largest prize for neurosciences worth 1 Million Euros for his work on the mechanism of memorization. They discover a protein named NDMA receptor in the brain, which is responsible for the formation of memory, and its deficiency may lead to memory loss. However, there is still a lot to discover. 

General, the overall increase in a night of better sleep, a healthy lifestyle, a decent amount of activity, and sound nutrition can enhance the brain's performance and its health to improve memorization and recall. They are essential to give you the brightest bang of preventing memory loss.

Top 5 Memory Improvement Tips:

Below are five basic tactics and best memorization techniques for students that are proven to help you memorize any topic quickly. 

1. Sleep on it

The best way to study and memorize and to boost your alertness is to get a good night's sleep. You can also take a power nap after learning or reading something that you want to retain for longer. Studies have found that people who sleep for at least 8 hours in 24 hours, especially after learning something new, are able to remember things better when compared to those who did not get a decent amount of sleep. 

Also, in another analysis of two databases of researches, Nicolas Dumay found that sleep not only protects our brains from forgetting memories, but it also helps in retrieving memories better and quick.  Hence, sleep resets our brains and recharges our physical batteries as it is essential for learning and memory and proven as the best way to memorize something. If someone is sleep deprived, their neurons are likely to be over-connected, generating excessive electrical activity; thus, memories cannot be saved correctly. 

2. Try mnemonics'

Mnemonics is the best way to remember things for exams. Let's start with our favourite childhood mnemonics that we all might have learned in our grade school: "My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas" (where the first letter of each word stands for Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, respectively). 

These types of mnemonics help us to memorize phrases and words quickly. Just like the above mnemonic, the order of the orbiting planets can be easily remembered with the funny yet quickly learning trick. Just like delivering effective academic writing services, it takes a lot of research and a little work of creativity to make these mnemonics; however, they are a great way of retaining information for longer than trying to memorize a list of words with the same order. 

3. Write it down

Writing it down is one of the memorization techniques for students. Sometimes, you just need to put away your laptop and likely to write something down that you have just learned in your university, college or even in school. It helps to imprint things in your subconscious memory. Handwriting is preferable to technology when it comes to memorization and serves as one of the reliable memory improvement tips.

The physical act of writing is proven to stimulate the primary cells of our brains, known as RAS (reticular activating system). When the reticular activating system is triggered, our brain is meant to focus on our happenings and surroundings. Hence, when we are writing with hands, our mind gets active with each forming letter compared to the words typing on the keys. Additionally, during note writing, we tend to reframe information in our own words that are considered as a better form of learning and memorization. Thus writing is an ideal among tips for memorizing.

4. Share what you have learned

Sharing and caring complies with the best way to memorize notes. Knowledge is not meant to keep to yourself, and it is intended to spread. There is a wise saying, "The best way to learn something is to teach it to someone else." That is the best way to learn and memorize while most of the people mention today still acknowledge. Just suggest something you learn to someone else. 

5. Try chunking

Chunking is one of the most exciting and best memorization techniques for studying that involves grouping of items and finding patterns to organize them. You can make a list, group, or chuckle or similar aisle to memorize quickly. For example, to memorize historical events and famous personality's biographies, create chunks of their happenings year wise or era wise and make a story out of it. 

Also, consider chunking as a form of mnemonics to make a large pile of data into memorable. Factually, we all have already used it without even knowing. To remember a number, chances are we have all done to chunk them to become natural. 222 777 9999 is more memory tips intensive than 2227779999. Hence grouping of information into smaller sets is likely to be the best way of memorization. 

 

Memorization is still a mystery to most of us, while there is a significant amount of studies present that emphasis on the tricks and techniques to learn and retain more for both short term and long term. We may not have a photogenic memory like Nicola Tesla, and however, if we try to infuse information correctly, we may be able to memorize quickly for a longer span. Things are meant to stick in our brains; at least we can manage to let them be.  Try the above fast memorization techniques and let us know your experience. 

 

Elaine Vanessa holds a PhD degree in Mathematics from Oxford University. She is an avid writer and an experienced tutor. She loves to travel with her pet named ELSA. Currently, she is working as a mathematics teacher and often blogs at King Essay.