Mastering Memory

by Brad Zupp

  To form the creative images for the Chain Method or Memory Palace, use your creativity to break down the words. What do they remind you of?

  CHAIN METHOD

  1PRO. Think of your favorite pro sports team or player.

  2META. Think of the New York Mets (Meta). Connect your sports player or team with the Mets.

  3ANA. Think of an apple or an ant. Use whatever works best in your imagination to connect to the previous link (the Mets).

  4TELO. Picture a telephone. Since we usually use the word “phone” these days, picture an old-fashioned telephone to make it easier to remember “telo.” Connect “telo” to the apple or ant from the previous link in the chain.

  5INTER. Think of an intern, a doctor who is in training, but if that doesn’t work in your mind, use an image from the movie Interstellar.

  Here’s an example:

  I imagine that Tiger Woods (pro golfer) walks into the New York Mets stadium. He picks up an apple that is on home plate. A bat boy brings him an old-fashioned telephone. He hangs up and hits a baseball so far that a man in space catches it.

  MEMORY PALACE

  To remember all the details and parts of each phase, use a Memory Palace such as your science classroom. It helps to start with the phases, centrioles, DNA, etc., as illustrated images. You should be able to picture what the DNA condensing and centrioles moving look like—but magnified so large you can see it happening in the air, like fish in an aquarium.

  Here’s an example:

  Picture Tiger Woods (prophase) in your science room. He is doing division on the whiteboard (in the prophase, a cell gets the idea that it’s time to divide). Tiger duplicates the image of DNA in two places on the board; he’s getting everything ready (imagine pennies for centrioles) for the process of mitotic division—picture your (my) baby (tot) spitting out food (ick!).

  In the corner near the board, you can picture the New York Mets (metaphase). Imagine all that happens in this phase (refer to your textbook) by changing them into pictures and seeing them happen in that area of the room.

  This memory hack makes the phases easier to remember, but you still need to learn the material. It’s a tool, not a shortcut! Experiment and see how well it works.

  [ 38 ] Remember the Digits of Pi

  PEOPLE ARE AMAZED when I recite digits of pi. Of course these days even remembering phone numbers seems difficult, but pi is no harder than that. Want to impress people (in a nerdy way)? Memorize 30 digits of pi. It’s easier than you think using the concepts already presented in the book.

  THE TECHNIQUE Use a Secret Code

  After what you’ve learned so far this one is pretty easy. You can make this a game by thinking of it like a secret code. You will be using your favorite method for translating numbers into images: The MOST Method, Simple System, Major System, or Rhyme Time. If you haven’t picked your favorite one, now is the time.

  In case you don’t already have them memorized, which I bet you don’t if you’re reading this, here are the first 30 digits of pi: 3.141592653 589793238462643383279.

  HOW TO DO IT

  1Let’s assume you can remember the beginning number 3 without any mental images. Then start to the right of the decimal place. Convert the following digits of pi into creative images.

  2Use the Chain Method to connect the images together.

  3Keep going until you’re sure you’ll impress people. (Stop before people think you’re weird.)

  The following are examples using each method through 12 digits. Just continue the process if you want to do the entire 30 (or more).

  RHYME TIME

  Run-Door-Run-Hive-Sign-Chew-Tick-Hive-Tree-Hive-Bait-Sign . . .

  Start with a pie. Imagine running (1) with it and smashing into a door (4). You get up and run (1) outside only to smash into a beehive (5). As you stand up you hit your head on the sign (9) reading “HONEY FOR SALE.” Chew (2) on some honey that has ticks (6) in it. Put the honey back in the hive (5) and hang it from a branch in the tree (3), which suddenly falls over, smashing the hive (5). Worms/bait (8) form a sign (9) reading “Danger!”

  THE MOST METHOD

  14 to 15 = Yankees lose to the Red Sox in a heavy hitting game. 9:26 = I’m late for work but I made it before 9:30! 5:35 = I stayed 35 minutes late to make up the time. $8.97 = I got a cheap dinner and I have three pennies rattling around in my pocket . . .

  THE SIMPLE SYSTEM

  1 (candle), 4 (chair), 1 (candle), 5 (fish), 9 (cat), 2 (shoes), 6 (ant), 5 (fish), 3 (tricycle), 5 (fish), 8 (octopus), 9 (cat) . . . Create your own story using these ideas.

  THE MAJOR SYSTEM

  Deer-doll-pine-seal-mail-fib (Pinocchio)-cape-moon-movie-rash-nosh . . .

  The Major System uses two digits at a time, making it faster—after you invest the time to develop the system.

  This is your chance to put your imagination to work. It might feel a little strange, but try it anyway. Once your mind starts to think this way, it gets easier to be more creative and to remember better.

  TIP | YOUR NUMBER SYSTEM

  Which number system is right for you? I present four systems in this book because so many people complain that numbers are hard to remember. If you prefer to make things up as you go, use the MOST Method. Otherwise, Rhyme Time is most people’s favorite.

  [ 39 ] Remember Your Lock Combination

  AFTER MEMORIZING PI, your locker combination should be easy! But since the repercussions of not recalling the combination are worse than forgetting pi, it’s important to do it right: Add details and review to remember. You’ll then be able to open it when you’re stressed, tired, or in a hurry.

  THE TECHNIQUE Unlock with a Story

  Have you selected your favorite number system method yet? If not, please do so. Can’t be bothered? Use the MOST Method: Change the numbers into money, objects, sports scores, or time as you go—no work ahead of time required. You’ll use your favorite number system to imagine the three sets of digits and combine them into a fun story that is easily remembered. By the way, make sure you have the combination. This technique can’t help you recall numbers you once knew but have already forgotten, sorry!

  HOW TO DO IT

  1Get the combination and write it down.

  2Translate the numbers into creative images. Don’t forget to use CAST (Color, Action, Size, and Texture).

  3Link the images together into a funny, memorable story. Keep adding more details until it’s as clear in your mind as the last movie you saw.

  4Practice opening the lock three times without looking at the written combination. Use only your memory.

  5Practice opening the lock three more times from memory tomorrow morning.

  6When you have the combination committed to memory, store the written combination somewhere safe.

  Here’s an example:

  Lock Combination: 16-01-12

  THE MOST METHOD

  16 = driving car; 01 = Mom is #1!; 12 = a dozen eggs

  First day driving the car with Mom to the store to buy eggs. Add details like nearly getting into an accident, Mom trying to be supportive but terrified, and eggs flying out of the grocery bag and breaking all over the windshield.

  RHYME TIME

  Fun-Ticks; Hero-Fun; Fun-Chew

  Playing ping-pong with a huge tick. My favorite superhero arrives and plays tetherball (another crazy-fun activity) with me. Later, we go back to ping-pong, but the superhero eats the ping-pong ball.

  [ 40 ] Learn the Periodic Table of Elements

  MEMORIZING THE PERIODIC table is a serious accomplishment. You could use rote memorization (boring and slow), a few funny songs (fun but not customizable), or the Accelerated Periodic Table (APT) Method. Guess which one I recommend? No matter which method you choose, it will require effort. The APT Method allows you to use your imagination so the material stays accessible far longer than the other methods.

  THE TECHNIQUE The APT Method

  Memorizing the 118 elements in order by name, symbol, and number
is relatively easy if you’ve paid attention to the techniques presented in the book so far. The APT Method is a combination of the CAR Method and the Chain Method. The Link Method, Memory Palace, and Alphabet Images will also come into play to help you along.

  The first major step is deciding how much you need to memorize. Remembering the elements by name in order while taking a moment to figure out the atomic number is the easiest and uses only one technique. Knowing the elements by group uses a similar technique with an additional element (sorry!). Finally, learning all the names, symbols, and numbers is possible using the same technique but with more detailed images.

  HOW TO DO IT

  APT METHOD 1

  1Use the CAR Method and Chain Method to convert the 118 elements into images.

  2Use the Link Method to remember any symbols you may mix up (Au for gold, for example).

  3At every tenth element, add a mental marker by visualizing the image for the element flashing. You will be able to recall the atomic number by jumping through the links by 10 elements until you are near the one for which you need the number. For example:

  Hydrogen = Kid waving “Hi!”

  Helium = Balloon. Connect the first two: the kid waves and lets go of the balloon.

  Lithium = Battery. Connect the balloon to a battery. The kid snatches the balloon and ties her phone (with a bulky battery) to the string.

  Beryllium = Bear. A bear takes the cell phone and the battery.

  Boron = Boring. The bear is bored by the phone and throws it into the street.

  Carbon = Car. A car runs over the phone.

  Nitrogen = Knight. A knight stops the car and climbs in.

  Oxygen = Oxygen. The knight stops at an oxygen bar.

  Fluorine = Floor. The knight reacts badly to the oxygen and falls to the floor.

  Neon = Neon sign. The sign on the wall (in neon) crashes to the floor. It flashes off and on, signaling that Neon’s atomic number is 10.

  4Repeat, making sure you link each previous element to the next one. All the symbols for the first 10 elements make sense and are easy to remember. When they don’t, link the image with its symbol’s Alphabet Image. For potassium with the symbol K, link potassium (picture a banana or potato) with the Alphabet Image for K: kiwi.

  5To find the number for any element, count them from the start or find the nearest flashing element and count from there. For nitrogen, picture your image (knight), find it in your story chain, then find the nearest flashing element, which is three away at neon, so the number for nitrogen is 7 (10 minus 3).

  APT METHOD 2

  1Use this same approach for remembering the elements by the eight main groups, with one addition: Start by imagining an anchor and connect that to the first element. (Note that this is easier in some ways: eight chains—one for each group—with each chain being much shorter than the 118-link chain for the first method.) Here’s an example:

  Anchor: Noble gases = King (a noble) with a green stinky gas around him.

  Helium: The first element. Connect the king with a balloon.

  Neon: Connect the balloon with a neon sign.

  Argon: Connect the sign with a pirate (“Arrrr”).

  Krypton: Connect the pirate with a well-known superhero.

  Xenon: Connect the superhero with a well-known female warrior (Xena, Warrior Princess).

  Radon: Connect the warrior with a stingray.

  2To remember the atomic number with this method, use one of the number systems you’ve learned to convert the number to an image. Add that image to the mix as you create your story: Helium (2) = the balloon has two shoes hanging from the string. Neon (10) has the most beautiful person in your world (a “perfect 10”) holding up the neon sign. Argon (18) has the pirate driving an 18-wheeled tractor trailer.

  3Repeat for the other groups, making sure you start each group with the anchor image. To make sure you remember every group, connect the group images together in a group chain.

  APT METHOD 3

  Still with me? To learn the order, number, group, atomic mass, melting point, boiling point, when it’s a liquid, or any other information, group them and make each character in your images very detailed. For example, in addition to the balloon (helium) with two shoes hanging off the string (atomic number 2), add a chair (4) with two donuts (00), a pair of shoes (2) and an ant (6) in that order on the seat to remember the atomic weight of 4.0026.

  Yes, this method takes effort, but not nearly as much as rote memorization, and it’s more flexible than using someone else’s song. Commit 30 minutes to trying it. You’ll be so far along—and it will be so memorable—you won’t stop to do it any other way.

  [ 41 ] Learn State and World Capitals

  FOR A WELL-ROUNDED education, you want to have knowledge of state and world capitals. And if you’re interested in travel, knowing this information can come in handy. However, you might want to learn the state and world capitals simply to exercise your memory. The CAR Method makes it quick and easy.

  THE TECHNIQUE Drive Your CAR Around the World

  This is a simple yet powerful method to remember capital cities. All you need is your creativity! As you may remember from the earlier brain hack, the CAR Method follows this formula: 1) Convert, 2) Associate, 3) Repeat. Imagine that you’re driving your CAR around a map of the world and stopping at all the points of interest—in this case, the capitals.

  HOW TO DO IT

  1Convert both the city and state or city and country into images based on the word itself or what it reminds you of.

  2Associate the two images using CAST (Color, Action, Size, and Texture).

  3Repeat the images, adding details to make them even more memorable.

  Here are a few examples.

  Canberra, Australia

  Convert. What comes to mind when you think of Australia? Beaches, coral reef, kangaroos? Pick one and picture it. Next, convert Canberra into an image. This word makes me think of a cold can of soda (can-brr-a).

  Associate. Kangaroo with a can (cold) of a drink.

  Repeat. Add details. How does the kangaroo open and hold the can? What is the drink?

  Porto-Novo, Benin

  Convert. Benin (“beh-neen”) reminds me of “baa” (sheep) and “knee.” Porto-Novo makes me think of “pour-toe no-vote.”

  Associate. The sheep with funny knees pours water on his toes, which disqualifies him from voting.

  Repeat. Add details. Who was he going to vote for? What’s up with those knees? Create a reason for the water on the toes.

  Neither your images in step 1 nor your associations in step 2 have to be exact or even make much sense. They do have to be interesting enough to give your memory detective a few extra clues.

  The same technique can be used for US state capitals.

  Frankfort, Kentucky

  Convert. Kentucky could be a “can” (that should be enough to remind you of the rest of the word). Frankfort is a “fort” made out of “franks” (hot dogs).

  Associate. The can with the hot dog fort: Knock down the fort by tossing the can at it, open the can and have ants swarm out to eat the hot dogs, or whatever else your imagination creates.

  Repeat. Add more details to make sure it sticks in your mind.

  [ 42 ] Memorize Faster for Deadlines

  THE FIRST TIME I tried to memorize a deck of cards in five minutes or less at a competition I failed. I couldn’t do it that quickly. Now I can remember a deck of cards in less than 60 seconds. I’ll show you my hack here.

  Do you need to remember information in a hurry? You can do it. It’s best if you have a solid foundation in these techniques, so I hope you’re not reading this hack the night before your final exam! Even without much practice, though, it can work.

  THE TECHNIQUE Push Yourself to Go Faster

  Your mind is faster and better at remembering than you realize, so pushing yourself to go faster will lead to surprising results. You should already have experience converting what you’re learning into exagger
ated, interesting images. The more you practice the CAR Method or the Chain Method, the faster you’ll get at providing clues for your memory detective.

  Have your notes, mind map, or material already prepared. You’ll also need a countdown timer and a willingness to push yourself! The method is to either “speed convert” essential information into images or, if you are reviewing, speed through the mental images you previously created and add more crazy details. After, you’ll test yourself to force your mind to recall.

  HOW TO DO IT

  1Plan your study session. How long do you have? How many 10-minute sessions can you do? Plan around that. For the first session, set a countdown timer for 5 minutes.

  2Choose a page, section, list, or chapter that seems too much to learn (or review) in 5 minutes.

  3Start the timer and buzz through the material. Push yourself. Go faster than you think you’ll be able to remember. Make it a game: How fast can you go?

  4To learn for the first time: Translate everything you want to remember into an image and connect it to something. Picture the question and the answer and connect them together, put the information into a Memory Palace, or connect the ideas to one another using the Chain Method.

  5To review the information again: See the images you’ve already created, reviewing the connections and unique stories.

  6Don’t slow down even if you feel you aren’t getting the information. Trust the speed of your mind.

  7When the timer ends, stop and restart the timer for another 5 minutes. Close your eyes (or cover part of the page), and immediately test your memory. Testing yourself so soon after looking at the material instead of waiting until the end of your study session is better for remembering.

  Whether you remember everything or not, don’t worry. When the timer goes off, mark any problem areas with a highlighter or red pen (using a different color than usual is important). Don’t review or learn while marking. Just note the parts you struggled with and move on.