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Now that February has started, all types of examinations from board to university to professional have started knocking at the doors of examinees across the country, regardless of class and category. And as they do so with all their might and importance, they place the candidates in the tight grip of fear psychosis with varying degrees of demands. In this process, examinations take a heavy toll on the tender minds of the candidates because of their imposed list of priorities.
And in most of the cases, the biggest disadvantage is that the candidate’s memory gets overwhelmed by the burden of curriculum related details. Unable to bear the burden of wider issues related to the syllabus, often a candidate’s memory seems to attack him with loss and a feeling of insecurity. Such a situation arises when the candidate starts feeling that his memory is becoming weak and he does not remember anything. Understanding this fact, this article attempts to put forward some expert-recommended tips for the candidates to enhance their memory and remove all the fear of memory loss.
1. Choose your own study time
It is true that when it comes to exam preparation, a candidate is expected to study for long hours, regardless of the time of the day – morning, afternoon, evening or late night. But most of the candidates do not pay attention to the fact that all hours of the day are not suitable for all the incumbents. The best time for concentration may vary from candidate to candidate. While for some people the morning time may be the best time for concentration and memorization, others may find the silence of the night best suited for their purpose, without any outside forces to disturb them. However, what is important is to feel refreshed and receptive so that the mind can perform its best to retain what has been achieved.
Dr. Gayatri Goswami, former HOD of Education at Gauhati University, said, “Although the general consensus is that morning time is best suited for concentration, there is perhaps no universal principle to confirm such a conviction. There are instances where people who wake up early in the morning spend most of their time at the study table yawning, chirping and collecting wool, thereby wasting both their precious time and sleep. The idea is to make the study effective rather than an endless period of fruitless exploration.”
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2. Avoiding multiple topics at one time
It is often seen that when sick, candidates try to tackle many subjects in a hurry to complete their syllabus before the exam, which makes them feel hungry, tired and nervous and there is nothing left to do. And the blame for this falls on their poor memory. But hardly do they realize that their memory is not responsible for this. The memory is in its place. “What has gone wrong is their attitude towards studies,” said Arupa Patgiri, a former student of a government school in Guwahati. While studying it is always wise to read one thing at a time, understand it and remember it in such a way that it never fails you.
“It is also necessary to combine new reading with what has already been read on the subject in order to fill the old with new information so that your memory remains at ease. But under no circumstances should new information be allowed to distort or interfere with already stored information,” she adds.
3. Writing to Retain
It was not without reason that the famous English essayist Sir Francis Bacon said, ‘Reading makes a perfect man; A ready man’s conference; And writing a perfect man.’ In other words, the power of writing is immense as it not only helps in understanding and arranging things systematically but also sharpens our memory by freeing it from the shackles of confusion. Therefore, it is important that candidates always do reading as well as writing.
Reading alone is not enough to retain the collected information in the mind. “Writing not only reiterates the concepts behind a previously read text but, through repetitive practice, increases the retention capacity of the mind. Professor Gayatri Goswami says, “Notes and jottings should go hand in hand with the business of reading so as to ultimately awaken the memory to its fullest potential.”
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4. Sharing knowledge with peers
There is a misconception among examinees that sharing their knowledge with their peer groups may result in personal harm because the information shared is likely to benefit others in the field. Nothing could be further from the truth, as far as losing their share of knowledge is concerned, individual aspirants with similar goals stand to benefit significantly through mutual discussion and sharing. It’s even better for candidates to role play. For example, if the candidates indulge in a kind of teacher-student game taking turns, not only will they enjoy but will also be successful in clearing many of their doubts and confusions. In fact, recent research advocates gamification as one of the most effective strategies for strengthening memory.
5. Keeping the mind relaxed through good sleep
No matter how much pressure there is on candidates to complete the course, one thing they cannot ignore is good sleep. Often, candidates are seen saying goodbye to midnight sleep in their resolve to perform well in the examination. “Many candidates believe that getting good sleep before the exam can be a waste of time. On the contrary, if candidates want to perform well at the time of examination, sleep is most essential for them. Otherwise, a sleep-deprived mind is unlikely to function in the desired manner,” explains Debjeet Paul, a Guwahati-based mathematics teacher.
“Apart from getting good sleep, it is also a good idea to take breaks in between your learning sessions,” he adds.
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