5 great ways to to improve your memory for exams
Have you ever been in an exam and completely forgotten a crucial piece of information? Or maybe something you’ve learnt is just out of reach in your mind? Or perhaps your mind has gone completely and utterly blank? Us too. But fear not, there are ways to improve your memory for exams!
1 Repetition
Yes it might sound obvious but we often neglect this in revision as we think it’s either too simple or we think it takes too much time. If you think you’ve been though something enough, go through it 5 times more. In an exam you want the required information to be instantly available to you from your brain. The
2 Start your revision early
Preparation is key. Last minute memorisation is always fraught with nervous energy and doesn’t set you up well for success in the exam. By starting your revision early you are able to spend enough time of each thing you need to learn.
3 Be creative
It could be that using a funny acrostic helps you remember a selection of words. Or it might help you to make up a story that links facts together. You could make up a rhyme to link names you need to know. It’s important that you play to your strengths. Know what works for you.
If you’re a visual learner it might help to highlight facts in different colours in your notes and then just by thinking of the particular colours, you will remember the facts. Another option is to stick post it notes in particular places around your workspace or bedroom while revising. In the exam, all you need to do is remember where a post it note is in your room and it will jog your memory!
4 Test yourself regularly
Testing yourself doesn’t have to be boring. We’ve all spent hours covering up answers with your hand on revision cards and muttering to ourselves in the library. Mix it up. Ask a friend or a family member to test you! You could get the whole family involved and do a weekly quiz night with a prize at the end!
Little and often is best. By testing yourself regularly and in an unpressurised environment, it will take the scariness out of being tested and even help to calm your nerves when the real exam comes around.
5 Take a walk before your exam
Instead of spending every second before the exam cramming in notes in the library, try taking a walk. Trust yourself that you’ve prepared enough. Make sure to get a good night’s sleep before the exam and to eat breakfast.
Taking a short walk outside (no more than 20/30mins) will improve your memory and put you in the best mindset to succeed during the exam. It will also help to calm your nerves.
There we have it, 5 great ways to improve your memory for exams. Of course, everyone is different and something that works brilliantly for one student, may not work for another and visa versa. Get to know what works for you and also be open to change! Something that worked for you at GCSE may not continue to work for you during your Undergraduate.
If there’s something you do that has dramatically improved your memory and it’s not mentioned here then we’d love to hear it! You can always get in touch with us via email at info@brightyoungthings.co.uk. In a similar vein, if there’s a topic that you’d like to appear on this blog, then please get in touch via the same email address and we will do out best to cover all topics suggested!