Can adults still learn new things? Three common myths Yes: adults can learn new skills and form new memories throughout life. Some mental abilities change with age, while experience, knowledge and vocabulary may remain strong or improve. There is no fixed age at which learning stops, and there is also no credible promise that practice…
How to remember historical dates with the month, day and year For a complete date, use three separate memory cues: one for the month, one for the day and one for the year. Then link those cues to the historical event in the same order every time. This article uses month images and the Major…
The last time I told someone I was a history teacher, I couldn’t decide what the expression on his face meant. With his head tilted back, an embarrassed grin stretched thin like an elastic band between his ears. In his eyes, I thought I could see the words, “Those who can’t, teach.” Maybe it was…
What is the body memory system? The body memory system is a variation of the method of loci: instead of using rooms in a building, you use body parts in a fixed order as memory locations. To remember a shopping list, imagine bananas bouncing on your forehead, a fish on your nose, and a tin…
Let’s Start Here I started thinking about the joyful project a little over a year ago. The idea began while teaching a philosophy class. The thought of re-reading Camus’ Myth of Sysyphus cast gloom across my horizon. I knew I needed something else, something more uplifting. Jump to the Table of Contents After poking around for a…
How to memorize a deck of cards: quick start To remember the order of a shuffled 52-card deck, give each card a distinct image and place those images, one by one, at 52 familiar locations in a memory palace. Then mentally walk the route and translate each image back into its card. Beginners should practice…
Spaced repetition: how to use it and when to review Spaced repetition means reviewing information at intervals rather than cramming all your practice into one session. An easy starting plan is to recall the material today, tomorrow, three days later, a week later and a few weeks later. Those are example intervals, not a scientifically…
How to memorize poetry word for word: a practical approach For verbatim poetry, lines from a play or a literary quotation, a memory journey can help you remember the sequence of images, but it does not preserve every exact word on its own. Learn the passage’s meaning and rhythm, divide it into short sections, and…
Memory journey technique: a ten-stop example A memory journey uses familiar landmarks in a fixed order as prompts for information. It is a form of the method of loci, just like a memory palace; the main difference is that your route may travel through streets, a park or a commute rather than rooms in one…
How to memorize a speech without reading it: quick plan For most presentations, the easiest starting point is to memorize the order of your main ideas rather than every sentence. Create a short outline, assign each section to a familiar place, and rehearse out loud while mentally moving through those places. Learn exact quotations, numerical…