Has this ever happened with you that you studied about the types of soil and forgot about the same the very next day? If so, then don’t panic because this has happened with most of us. It has been observed that to memorize something, we need to make an extra effort and it is not easy to remember and recall everything that we come across or read. This is one of the biggest reasons because of which great emphasis is laid on revising and putting an extra effort while preparing for exams etc.
There are two different ways through which learning happens i.e. by repeating and constant revision of the same things also known as the Rote Learning and by deeply understanding the meaning and connecting the previous leanings with the new ones, also known as contextual or experiential learning. Both of these learning styles hold their own importance and are directed towards the same goal of gaining knowledge and learning in the best possible manner. We are able to store information for a long time only when we can associate past memories or experiences with the same. Making use of the available information to think and store new information can result in the strengthening of memories and the ability to apply them in different circumstances. When we cannot associate these memories with the new information then we tend to forget what we learn. Students who try to read and cram the lessons and concepts a night before the exam might perform well on the exam day but will definitely forget the same if not revised or looked at again after few days.
Forgetting the things that aren’t understood or revised is common and can be won over by following the below-mentioned tips that can help in remembering better-
1. Preparing notes- it has been suggested to students that they should prepare notes while studying. By doing so, students can retain the information for a long time and also revise. By writing down the important things and concepts in their own language, students can remember things and make corrections accordingly.
2. Practicing– experts suggest that students should practice the things that they face difficulty in remembering like mathematics problems, physics numerical-based questions, chemistry bonds, and formulas, etc. By building an understanding through practice students can build their learning abilities and can remember whatever they study for a long time and apply the same.
3. Breaking into parts- students who face difficulty in covering the entire topic or lessons are suggested to break them and then take one at a time. This has a physiological concept attached to the same wherein the brain is tricked by breaking the information into simple and smaller parts to make learning and understanding easier.
4. Self-check– self-check simply refers to asking questions to yourself to deduce the level of preparedness. It’s basically asking questions after some interval and testing the retention level. By doing this, one can also change the approach of learning and improve accordingly.
5. Innovative styles of learning– students can consider different innovative methods of memorizing and building a conceptual base. They can make use of flow charts, diagrams, writing boards to make studying a fun process. With the help of diagrammatic representation of complex information, it can be made easier to understand and the retention rate also increases.
6. Attaching experiences with learning– students should attach experiences with learning and make the process more engaging. To break the monotony, students can study in groups, take quizzes, online tests. By doing so, students can also get acquainted with others’ styles of attempting the same questions and can end up finding an easier way to solve the given problems. By associating such experiences with learning, students can retain the information for a long time and learn the multiple applications as well.
7. Pro-activeness– to become good learners and retain the information, students should become proactive learners. They should consider the different ways of solving similar problems, must have a problem-solving approach towards problems, and learn from their mistakes. There are very low chances of repeating the same mistakes if one takes account of the same.
Learning is a life-long process and thereby it is expected from students that they devise methods that facilitate and make the learning process easier and a lot more fun for them. As mentioned above, forgetting concepts is a very common thing experienced by almost all students and thereby making use of these tips can help students in memorizing better and for a long time.
