Hello Brains!
This is part two of my three part series on how memory works. Just in time for finals.
Yay!... Wait.
Are you supposed to be studying? I'll talk faster.
[music intro]
If you're supposed to be studying right now, don't worry. The five minutes it'll take you
to watch this might save you hours of studying later.
When I was in school, most of the time, I didn't study as much as I should have.
or ever.
I did my homework...usually. But studying wasn't built into my routine and there was never a time
as a kid when I was like. "You know what I feel like doing? Studying." The exception was when I
realized I had a test the next day. Or that day. In which case I would cram as hard
as I could only to forget most of what I just read as soon as I closed the book.
So it kind of felt like studying was a waste of my time. Turns out I was doing it wrong.
Cramming at the last second and reading the chapter are two of the least
efficient ways to study. Which means, yeah, that kind of studying kinda was a waste of my time.
To do better on tests we don't have to study harder or longer. Just smarter.
To do that it helps to understand how our memory works. As I said in the note taking
video these are really big concepts I'm trying to squish into a little video
so bear with me. I promise you'll learn something! If that's not enough I've
enlisted the help of cute puppies with big eyes.
As I mentioned last episode there are three stages in the memory process:
Encoding, Storage, and Retrieval. Encoding is what happens when you
transfer information from short-term memory into long term storage.
Wait, if that's true why do we even have to study? The memory's just there, right?
Just because we've encoded information doesn't mean we've stored it well enough to
actually remember it. That happens during a process called memory consolidation,
which strengthens the memory after it's already been formed. Think of it like tracing
over light pencil with a pen. Way more permanent and much easier to read.
So the key to doing well on tests is not to just encode the information, but consolidate it.
How do we consolidate our memories? There are five things I found in my
research that really help with memory consolidation. One: Study the same information.
If you study the same material every time you sit down to study you recall and
re-store that same information every time, which makes those memories stronger.
That's why studying your notes is much more effective than trying to study the
entire chapter. Click here to the watch episode on note taking if you haven't already seen it.
Two: Make it unique. The brain has an easier time remembering things that stand out.
For instance, if you're trying to remember that the Statue of Liberty was a gift from France,
picture the Statue of Liberty on a raft of baguettes. With a giant bow on its head.
Three: Sleep. When we sleep it's like a study session we don't have to be there for.
The best kind.
The brain essentially processes the information it's learned all over again.
A good night's sleep is the most effective but even a nap can help.
It's a good idea to review your notes right before your head hits the pillow.
Four: Practice retrieving it. Flash cards. Practice quizzes. All of this is helpful.
Practice quizzes don't just help us figure out what we don't already know, they help us
learn. When we retrieve the information we've encoded, we pull it back into our short-term
memory and then put it back into long-term storage, which strengthens that
memory. This is really great if you don't have much time left to study.
Speaking of which. Five: Give it time.
Memory is consolidated over time so even if we just spend a short amount of time
studying if we start doing it sooner rather than later it will help us do
better on the test. So let's say I spent two hours on Friday before a test trying to cram
the whole chapter into my brain and ended up getting a C. Let's say that was
intentional and I only wanted to spend two hours studying and that that wasn't
just all the time that was left before the test. I would have done a lot better
if I had spent 15 minutes reviewing my notes every night before bed and maybe half an
hour creating a pop quiz and half an hour taking it. So now we know what to do.
But those of us with ADHD are notorious for knowing what to do and still struggling with doing it.
Some of the challenges we face here are: We get bored. We get frustrated easily.
We forget to study. We space out. We get distracted. Or our brains just don't turn on.
If that sounds familiar, here are a few things that can help. One: Make it routine.
If the queue/reminder to study is "Just got home from soccer practice" or "It's almost time to go to bed"
rather than "I just remembered I have a test today," we're much more likely to remember to study
while there's still time left to study. Two: Make it fun. Give yourself little rewards.
It doesn't have to be much. A five minute social media break after 25 minutes of studying works great.
Three: Space out the studying. That's not only better for memory consolidation, it's
easier on our brains. We're less likely to get bored after 15 minutes of studying than two hours.
Four: If you start to get frustrated, mix it up. Take a break. Grab a glass of water. Grab a snack.
Change subjects for a little bit. Your brain can't learn when it's shut down with frustration.
Five: Do something physical first. That wakes our brains up and stimulates them
which is really helpful when the material is less than stimulating.
Six: Play some music. There's music designed specifically to help us study.
I'll provide that in the links below.
And any kind of music can help. I prefer music without lyrics like Explosions in the Sky.
Seven: And maybe most importantly, find what works for you.
Rather than judging yourself for spacing out while you're trying to study,
get curious about what works for you and what helps you focus. Challenge yourself.
Turn it into a game. Study with a friend.
It might help to mix it up. Study in different places to add variety.
Or you might find that a consistent, quiet, study spot works best for you.
Sitting in my parked car seems to work best for me, maybe because there's literally
nothing to distract me, and I can read out loud without looking like a crazy person.
Sorry nice people at Starbucks.
That's it for this week. If you have any tips on studying, post them in the comments
below or hit me up on Facebook and Twitter.
And let me know if any of these work for you. Next week it's time to take the test.
I mean, we're gonna learn about taking tests. I'm not actually giving you a test.
Subscribe so you don't miss it.
Bye Brains!
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