Muhammed Ali Week 14 - STOP FORGETTING THINGS
I don’t remember anything.
Math formulas, historical events—even birthdays (my OWN birthday). I struggle remembering basic information quite often and it can get really annoying at times, especially when the thing I’m forgetting is especially important.
It’s not amnesia, but instead just general difficulty remembering certain things. I tend to forget things I find uninteresting faster and more efficiently than I do with things I find interesting. This is especially detrimental when it comes to school because I don’t find any of my classes that require heaps of memorization particularly fascinating. Studying becomes harder and takes more time, and school becomes an ankle weight and an unnecessary source of stress, all because I have a lackluster memory to pull from. This is something I’m sure many of you may relate to and may struggle with as well.
BUT WHAT IF I TOLD YOU THERE’S A SOLUTION?
That’s right. You can improve your memory and you don’t even have to be psychologically altered to do it!
A research paper from Harvard listed a number of simple habitual changes that can be integrated into one's life to help improve overall memory and concentration. Some of these practices include regular exercise, getting sufficient sleep, and engaging in a healthy amount of social interaction, helping “stave off the effects of aging on the brain.”
The paper also suggests strategies for promoting the growth of new brain cells, thereby increasing overall brain capacity. These activities include traveling, playing a musical instrument, doing puzzles, and playing board games like chess.
Doing an assortment of these things is only likely to help improve memory if they are made into habits and incorporated in your daily routine. Add a few into your schedule and you become more than likely to not forget your mom’s birthday. Thanks, Harvard!
Hi Muhammed! I have bad memory, too, meaning if I don't write things down, there's no way I'm remembering them. I have to keep a list of birthdays, assignments, events, etc, and even so, I'm not a very organized person. While I do find most of my schoolwork interesting, I often become exhausted from listening to my teachers lecture constantly, so even if I try to pay attention, I can't recall the information they were discussing later. Thanks for sharing these tips on how to improve concentration and memory, especially since we're in AP season right now!
ReplyDeleteHi Muhammad! Your blog was really insightful because I used to struggle with memory a lot as well, which isn’t beneficial considering that the education system revolves around memorizing and regurgitating facts and information. I’ve found that activities like playing the piano, reading, and painting has helped me improve my memory, and I’ve aways assumed that it was because I was using active recall a lot more, and I’ve never heard about a study about playing instruments improving brain capacity until now. If you think about it, it makes a lot of sense because training muscle memory, which is utilized when playing instruments, helps you train your brain to quickly recall information, which helps you improve your memory. Overall, your blog was extremely informational and an interesting read!
ReplyDeleteHi Muhammed,
ReplyDeleteYour blog post really resonated with me because I can completely relate to the frustration of struggling to remember basic information, especially when it feels like it should be simple. You recalling your own experiences with memory difficulties was refreshing and relatable. I appreciate how you not only shared your personal struggles openly, but also offered a glimmer of hope with the mention of solutions. The adherence to the Harvard research paper was a great addition, providing credibility to the suggestions for improving memory. What I found particularly effective was how you emphasized the importance of turning these memory-boosting activities into habits. We read about tips for improvement almost every day, and we don’t necessarily encode them into our minds. But actually integrating them into daily life is where the real challenge lies. Your reminder to make these changes a routine is invaluable advice.