Do you have a difficult time remembering simple lists, such as your grocery list? Maybe you just want to do better on your exams, or maybe you are interested in improving your memory. Well, I happen to have some good news for you. Simple memory aids, or mnemonics, are the key to keep that grocery or vocab list stuck in your mind. I have three very easy and quick ways for you to improve your memory. All it takes is a few minutes to do one of these techniques and you’ll be on your way.
The first method I am going to introduce is called methods of loci. This technique involves taking list and making it personal to you, such as by location. You most likely won’t remember the entire list the first time, but the more you practice the better you get. Let’s say you have a grocery list written down, on the list you wrote: eggs, milk, bread, and shampoo. First, you are going to imagine you are in your own home walking up the stairs (if you don’t have stairs in your house just imagine that you do). As you are walking up your stairs you see pieces of bread laying flat on each stair you walk on. Next, you walk into your bathroom and you see that your tub is full of milk, then you walk into your bedroom and find that you are stepping on broken egg shells, and lastly as you walk back down the stairs you notice that the railing is dripping with sweet-smelling shampoo. Yes, this is a little weird, but believe me, if you use this technique and make it weird you will remember your shopping list. Practice this technique a few times with your shopping list to improve.
The second method to use as a memory aid is called chunking. This is when you put things together into meaningful units. For example, if you are studying some vocabulary for a class you could use this method by putting all like terms together. Study one group then take a short break before you study the next group. This one is and easy one, but it takes practice as well.
The last method is called the first letter technique. This is when you use the first letter of a word or words and turn them into something meaningful. When we were young we were taught the colors of the rainbow using this memory aid: Roy G Biv. This is a great example of using the first letter technique. There are many ways to use this technique.
Method of locus is the technique that works best for me, but everyone’s memory works a little different, it just takes time and a little tweaking before you find the right one. One type of memory aid is almost guaranteed to help improve your memory!
If you would like to read more in depth about mnemonics, I suggest you visit this link: http://www.web-us.com/memory/mnemonic_techniques.htm, this article not only goes more into depth but it also provides a few more techniques.
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