Have you ever thought that there are different types of memory? In general terms, they can be short-term, such as the name of a person we just met, or long-term –– which encompasses important moments in our lives, activities we learned (riding a bike, for example) or facts and curiosities that we remember.

If you are studying for your college entrance exams , you know how important it is to cultivate this second group, don’t you? After all, no one likes to study hard and then forget the content shortly after. The good news is that there are memorization techniques to help you on this journey.

Are you ready to learn about these powerful tools for your study and how to adopt them today? Check out the list of the best memorization techniques!

1. Flashcards

Paper, pens and the content to be studied: with these three items, you can put into practice one of the most interesting memorization techniques for your routine. Basically, just select questions within the topic and write them on one side of each card. On the other side, write down the answers.

That’s where the game begins. You need to give the correct answers to each card without checking the answer on the back – no peeking! While making the flashcards, take the opportunity to familiarize yourself with the content and start the memorization process. When answering, don’t skimp on details: reinforce in your mind everything you need to know about the subject.

2. Mind maps

The name suggests something complex, but mind maps are quite simple. You select an important word from the content and place it in the center of a sheet. Then, you make connections with related topics, such as dates, characters and places, formulas, quotes, explanations, developments, and so on.

The idea behind mind maps is to use visual resources to facilitate knowledge retention. So, it’s worth making drawings, using icons, highlighting terms with highlighters or different pens, and whatever your imagination allows. If you create a diagram with different, eye-catching colors, it’ll be even easier to identify the information.

3. Abstracts

This is perhaps the technique most used by students throughout their career. This is because it is a very intuitive activity that does not take much time to complete. It usually comes after the reading stage, in which you have your first contact with the content. Then, you work on your synthesis skills to put the most important things on paper.

Summaries can appear as continuous text or bullet points: it’s up to you to decide which format is best for you. If possible, make the information more visible and easy to find, to help you review the material later. You can use lists (called bullet points), timelines, drawings, and even write down key words from your material.

It is best to write summaries by hand to reinforce your learning. Especially if you have a photographic memory, which is activated by visual aspects, you will remember more easily where on the page the information is located. But there is nothing stopping you from using your computer or cell phone for this, right? See what works best for your studies!

4. Self-explanation

This memorization technique has the same purpose as the summary and can even be used in conjunction with it. After reading the topics and selecting the most important parts, the exercise is to explain everything you understood in your own words and in your own way. At this point, try to recap every detail of the content out loud and clear.

Self-explanation works just as well as group study, but without the interference of side conversations. Think about explaining to someone in a way that they understand the entire topic, not just a part of it.

Take the opportunity to give interdisciplinary or current affairs examples , relating the content to other contexts to facilitate memorization.

5. Simulations

Have you ever noticed that repetition makes it easier to remember information? That’s exactly what those ads that are constantly playing during videos on YouTube channels are trying to do: make you remember the name of the video whenever possible. So, try to do the same with the content you’re studying.

The idea is to put your knowledge into practice. After reading about a subject, for example, look for questions or even complete mock exams to answer –– and try to imagine yourself on the day of the test. Do them carefully and, if possible, without consulting your materials, to really stimulate your memory.

6. Acronyms

Do you know when you need to memorize a series of formulas, groups with some kind of order, and so on? It’s common to feel doubtful, without any guarantee that what you thought was actually correct. To avoid making mistakes, many students resort to acronyms. The idea is to put letters or syllables together to form a word, invented or real.

Have you heard of REFICOFAGE? Anyone who studies Biology must know that it is a memorization technique to remember:

• RE: kingdom;
• FI: son;
• C: class;
• O: order;
• FA: family;
• G: gender;
• E: species.

Acronyms are part of mnemonic techniques. They also include acrostics (generally used to remember names such as Ministry of Education/MEC or Supreme Federal Court/STF) and keywords.