ORANGE- Memory Technique

THE O.R.A.N.G.E TECHNIQUE OF MEMORY SKILLS


ORGANIZE

People have memorized the Bible, Koran, Thirukural and even the phone book with ease. Have you wondered how this was possible? The reason is information that is organized is easier for the brain to learn, store and recall. Organizing new information using meaningful systems, groupings, relationships and patterns will make your brain work swifter.

Remember that the brain filters out 99% of all sensing stimuli it receives through the five senses. So what then filters through? Information that has meaning and information that has an emotional impact will influence your brain. Probably that’s why when you see a horror flick you remember it from scene to scene because of the emotional impact. Also when read a letter from your loved ones you remember it because it has special meaning.

So organize your work so that your memory can be improved.


REPETITION

Information that is to move from short term memory to long term memory must be reiterated, recapped, repeated, reviewed, rehearsed – you get the idea.


There was a study on random words and the power of the brain to remember

Delay Amt remembered
Immediately 100%
20 min 60%
60 min 45%
9 hr 35%
1 day 30%
2 Day 25%
6 Day 22%
30 Day 20%

Two ways for repetition

Rote Repetition- deliberate continuous repetitions of material in the same form it entered the short term memory. Repeating is the most common memory device which allows the brain to imprint the information more securely for later recall. As an old saying goes “If you don’t use it, you’re gonna lose it!”

Artistic Repetition- creates a connection and integrates the information by giving it some meaningful memory hooks.



ASSOCIATIONS

Association: this is the method by which you link a thing to be remembered to a way of remembering it. The data already stored in your memory is arranged to a scheme that makes sense to you. When you introduce new data, you can recall it more effectively if you “store” it near similar or related data.

This allows you to create reminders within reminders, using your physical environment. Some times the brain to fight boredom requires constant stimulation. The psychologists call it the Von Resorff effect. Simply, it means a bizarre or an unusual thing or event becomes memorable, so associating your study to it will make you remember it for a long time.

A thought aligns your brain cells and it creates patterns and the chemical released connects more neurons creating a super highway. Association is how we are made to think.


You can create associations by:

Placing things on top of each other
Crashing things together
Merging images together
Wrapping them around each other
Rotating them around each other or having them dancing together
Linking them using the same color, smell, shape, or feeling


NEURO SCIENCE

Research shows that marathon study sessions are not effective. You can accomplish far more by studying in short fifteen to twenty minutes time slot. Look at television programs for instance, most of them lasts for an hour. And the intervals come in every fifteen minutes. Apply that to your studying. In addition, as you are learning new information, you need to ensure that a quick review, of around a 15 minute mark, will help keep the data from getting lost.

We remember things better if what we are studying engages our senses, actions or emotions. Recite material aloud, use your hands and entire body as you pace and gesture back and forth. This technique also helps to battle boredom which puts memory to sleep.

The brain needs sleep to regenerate two chemicals: noradrenaline and serotonin, that helps to stimulate neurons in your brain. So have a good sleep before studying.

Stress stimulates the flow of Cortissol, a hormone that helps process carbohydrates but in excess can damage brain cells. Alcohol brakes down chemicals in the brain that are vital for communication between cells. Avoid it at all times.

Saturated fats reduce the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the brain. Avoiding those foods during your exam preparation time enhances your memory also. Coffee is good only if its moderate. If not, the caffeine will over excite the brain and make concentration and learning difficult.


GRAPHIC

Create pictures. Draw diagrams, make cartoons, use them to connect facts and illustrate relationships. Relationships within abstract concepts can be “seen” and recalled easily when visualized. The key is to use your imagination. Visual information is associated with a different part of the brain than verbal information. When you create a picture of the concept, you are “anchoring” the information in two parts of your brain, increasing your chances of recalling that information.


EXTRACTION

What is the point to know all the answers to an exam that ended one hour ago. Some students know all the answers but in the exam hall they just can’t extract the information out. Some of them struggle and waste valuable time over it. So, how do you extract the information you want at the moment you want it?


Remember something else when you are stuck- this will activate your lost memory.

Brainstorm your memory by writing lots of answers to related test questions and suddenly the answer you need, will appear.