Tips and tricks to get right back to the books
Why is it that every fall I feel as though my memory has become total mush? I can’t remember what day
of the week it is, let alone my student ID number, or where I parked my car this morning. Come every
September, I feel like my mind is playing catch up as I struggle to remember my class schedule and
impending deadlines.
Here are some techniques to make the most of your memory and counteract this post-summer break
haze.
1) Brain food
Find superfoods which are rich in antioxidants, such as colorful fruits and vegetables. Try to eat lowgycemic carbs, like oatmeal and anything with omega-3. Try eating as much produce, nuts, and fish as
possible. Cutting down meat will make you feel less sluggish mentally as well as physically. The same
goes for drinking more water. Research shows that drinking about 8 glasses a day makes you more awake
and focused.
2) Stop Multitasking
Studies show it takes 8 seconds to commit a piece on information to memory. Therefore, you need to
concentrate on the task at hand. Put away the gadgets unless they are necessary. Also, this may seem
weird, but saying things out loud (“I put my keys on the dresser” will help you remember where you put
them later on. Say things out loud (without seeming delusional) to help your brain channel in on the one
task.
3) Get more sleep
During deep sleep, your brain shifts memories from short-term to long-term. This is correlated with why
scientists at UPenn have found that losing about three to four hours of sleep a night can result in
memory erosion. So why do one third of Americans get less than 7 hours of sleep a night? Several recent
studies have found that looking at a screen before sleeping, be it a TV, cellphone or laptop, decreases the
amount of deep sleep you get. Try reading a textbook while in bed. It’s sure to put you to sleep.
4) E.D.M.
Every Day Mnemonics are similar to those we use while studying, except used to remember errands and
other tasks. For example, BOG for Buy Oranges and Grapes. Also try visualization, such as imagining a
giant planet earth for that Globalization class assignment due on Friday.
5) Work outs
