Invincible 5 Memory Practices For The Examination
Commencing revision barely a day to the examination can be dangerously imprudent as it does not guarantee a good performance. In the same breath, jamming the materials at the 11th hour is also ill-advised, and you should strive to prepare in advance.
Lack of preparation leaves you irritably exasperated as you will be trying to remember something you read but to no avail. This feeling of anger will eat into your exam time because you will be pondering how the situation would have been if only you had read and had all the content at your fingerprints.
Going blank in an exam room is a situation most students are well acquainted with from personal experiences. Nevertheless, you can evade because it is possible to turn your mind into you’re the biggest resource and as research shows, the human mind can accommodate large amounts of information.
1. Intertwined Revision
Most subjects teach related knowledge and as such, reviewing this subject independent of each other is not a sensible thing to do. Studies show that linking previous knowledge with new ones increases the level of comprehension. The question that remains is, what is the explanation behind this fact?
To put things into more perspective, paint this picture in your mind. Assume that the knowledge you possess is a road map in your mind and each time you learn something new, that is a different street you are adding to the plan. When you need to access specific material, your brain will run through different corridors to track that information.
Develop a virtual map in your mind – Identify the different topics that you need to study and draw the connection between them in your mind. Additionally, identify the topics that you are already conversant with and the knowledge you possess. This move will aid you in linking the connection between the topics.
2. Get enough sleep
Students believe that burning the midnight oil studying is a sure way to getting good grades in an examination. However, this could be not any further from the truth as research proves that getting enough rest is vital for refreshing and rejuvenating your mind. Adequate sleep aids the processing of new information learned.
Prepare a study timetable – After you learn of the exam date, prepare a study timetable indicating which topic you will tackle and at what time. Early preparation will go a long way to help you get that grade you so desire, and you will be able to get enough sleep the night before the examination.
3. Talking reinforces remembrance
Narrating a story evokes your memory as you will feel the need to tell it exactly how it happened without omitting any details. Again, research shows that people tend to recall things better if they are to tell it as a story to other people. As a student, you should take advantage of this, tell a friend what you learned detail by detail, in the process, the information is most likely to stick to your memory.
Pen down a revision article – Find something that interests you and builds your revision story based on it. Imagine individuals, objects, places or symbols and assign each of these a topic, formula, or the fact that you need to memorize. This technique has been proven to be effective as it not only makes the learning process simpler, it provokes you to dig deeper into your creative abilities.
4. Revise! Revise! Revise!
Revising is not as fun as compared to other activities like playing video games or surfing on your computer, and it is easier to have wishful thinking that we could take one look at the materials and that will do. Still, revision is a chief factor that will determine your performance in an examination. Revision enables you to identify the areas you are weak in and focus your concentration on those topics.
Find study mates – The benefits of a study group are quite significant. Explaining a concept, you have learned to a friend increases your understanding of the matter. At your request, your study mates can ask you difficult questions to determine your preparedness and level of knowledge.
At times it can be a challenge finding a study group you will be comfortable in and freely interact. Strange enough, you could record yourself recounting what you have learned and play it later on.
5. Reflection as memory heightening technique
Scientists have established that reflecting heightens your memory although there have not been specific details explain how this happens. The presumption is, reflection develops imaginative and attentiveness. The development is due to the quiet and peaceful environment that meditation requires. Moreover, reflection helps you unwind and relieve pressure, and this might be a good way to spend your time before the examination.
Look for a reflective instruction guide – Credit to technology, instructional guides on reflection are on the internet or various mobile applications. Make an effort to follow a ten-minute meditation for a couple of days or weeks and observe if you will notice any changes (improvement) in your attentiveness when studying.
Different students have different needs, and some may not find reflection an effective method of preparing for their examination. There are other ways of revising that require a lot more exertion, but they are worth the while as they are effectual.
According to psychologists, approximately a month of practice is needed to alter a mental routine. My advice is, attempt the above memory practices and examine whether studying become an easier and enjoyable experience for you.