Over the years, I’ve had the chance to hold memory presentations at dozens of colleges and universities, and have always enjoyed the experience. Not only do students have a lot of fun learning about memory, but they’re amongst the people who need it the most. Sharpening your memory can do wonderful things for your grades and testing ability, of course, but it’s also a good skill to help you throughout the rest of your professional career.

So, for all of my college-aged readers out there, here are three quick tips that I always include in memory presentations to help you earn better grades and exam scores:

1. Know the difference between learning and studying. You are in college to learn, with the goal that you’ll hopefully graduate as a well-rounded person who understands key concepts and ideas well enough to succeed in your chosen profession. When you study, on the other hand, you’re typically trying to retain important facts and ideas to pass an exam. Learn to recognize the difference (between concepts and facts), and devote your attention accordingly.

2. Use both halves of your brain. Don’t just study by making lists; instead, try drawing “mind maps” with colored pencils, doodles, and other forms of pictures and imagery. While this might not seem like the most creative thing in the world, it actually engages the right half of your brain as well as the left, making key facts and details that much more real and memorable.

3. Follow the right study plan. Although all-night studying is a bit of a time-honored tradition in some circles, the fact of the matter is that it just doesn’t work very well. Just because a particular way of doing something is popular, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best.

With that in mind, repeat after me: No last-minute cramming! Studying a little at a time at fairly frequent intervals is better than studying for long periods at less frequent intervals. Thirty minutes of study every day over a week will produce better results than a week of neglect followed by a 5-hour cramming session. You’ll be less stressed, and get much better results.

4. Do not use rote memorization. Instead of using constant repetition, read something and then try to recall it. Research shows that you only gain another 7% comprehension from a second read through material, and only an additional 1% on the third. So this valuable time spent on rereading is way out of whack for the results you can expect to gain from it.

Instead, make notes in colored pens about what you are reading. Then, ask yourself questions about what you have just read.

Try to make your studying the last thing you do before going to bed and revise the material in the morning.

Interested in having Bob Gray come and do a memory presentation at your school or university? Call or e-mail our office today to check dates, fees, and availability.