Memories are best retrieved if the context of retrieval matched the context when the memory was formed. If I'm studying for a test while listening to Mozart, burning a lavender-scented candle, and eating Sour Patch gummy bears, I will recall that information better on the test day if I'm doing the same things.Are you caffeinated while learning something? Are you tired while learning something.? Then match the conditions while learning when you want to retrieve it.

Context matters

When you need to remember information for a test or presentation, you can try to hammer the information into your head or you can flip it and also try to retrieve the information as you're learning it. When we try to put the information in,  it travels one way on the neurons. When we try to recall the information, we're going the other way. This bi-directional highway of information helps to strengthen that circuit more than just passively reading.

Self-testing helps to remember information

Semantic memory is memory for facts and information. Too much stress can impact your ability to form and retrieve memories. For example, you study for an exam and know the information, then you go for the test, but because you're stressed and you're nervous, you can't remember a thing. You can't retrieve the information. We can help our memory by creating associations that are meaningful, emotional, surprising, and new. We should also write things down.

Create semantic memory

When you're studying, you need to space out the studying rather than limiting it to one timeframe. For example, if you have seven hours to study for an exam that is in one week, do one hour a day rather than all seven hours the day before.

Space out studying

4 ways to hack your memory, with Lisa Genova Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ►► https://www.youtube.com/c/bigthink Up next ►► How memory works https://youtu.be/kwo2WxM87-g Self-testing is one good way to better remember information. Think of memory as a two-way street. If we only put information in, it is like traveling in only one direction. Recalling information requires us to go the other way. Spacing out studying is better than cramming.If you need seven hours to prepare for an exam that is one week from today, study one hour per day rather than all seven hours the night before. Context matters for memory recall. If you study while eating Sour Patch candy, do the same thing while taking the test. Read the video transcript: https://bigthink.com/series/great-question/study-tips/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Lisa Genova: Lisa Genova is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels Still Alice, Left Neglected, Love Anthony, Inside the O’Briens, and Every Note Played. Still Alice was adapted into an Oscar-winning film starring Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, and Kristen Stewart. Lisa graduated valedictorian from Bates College with a degree in biopsychology and holds a PhD in neuroscience from Harvard University. She travels worldwide speaking about the neurological diseases she writes about and has appeared on The Dr. Oz Show, Today, PBS NewsHour, CNN, and NPR. Her TED talk, “What You Can Do to Prevent Alzheimer’s,” has been viewed more than five million times. The New York Times bestseller REMEMBER is her first work of nonfiction. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Read more of our stories on memory: Smells connect to memories more than other senses ►► https://bigthink.com/neuropsych/smell-hippocampus/ Making memories actually involves breaking our DNA, study shows ►► https://bigthink.com/neuropsych/memory-dna/ New study connects cardiovascular exercise with improved memory ►► https://bigthink.com/health/running-memory/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Big Think | Smarter Faster™ ► Big Think The leading source of expert-driven, educational content. With thousands of videos, featuring experts ranging from Bill Clinton to Bill Nye, Big Think helps you get smarter, faster by exploring the big ideas and core skills that define knowledge in the 21st century. ► Big Think+ Make your business smarter, faster: https://bigthink.com/plus/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Want more Big Think? ► Daily editorial features: https://bigthink.com/popular/ ► Get the best of Big Think right to your inbox: https://bigthink.com/st/newsletter ► Facebook: https://bigth.ink/facebook ► Instagram: https://bigth.ink/Instagram ► Twitter: https://bigth.ink/twitter

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4 ways to hack your memory, with Lisa Genova
Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ►► https://www.youtube.com/c/bigthink
Up next ►► How memory works https://youtu.be/kwo2WxM87-g 

Self-testing is one good way to better remember information. Think of memory as a two-way street. If we only put information in, it is like traveling in only one direction. Recalling information requires us to go the other way.

Spacing out studying is better than cramming.If you need seven hours to prepare for an exam that is one week from today, study one hour per day rather than all seven hours the night before.

Context matters for memory recall. If you study while eating Sour Patch candy, do the same thing while taking the test.

Read the video transcript: https://bigthink.com/series/great-question/study-tips/ 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

About Lisa Genova:
Lisa Genova  is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels Still Alice, Left Neglected, Love Anthony, Inside the O’Briens, and Every Note Played. Still Alice was adapted into an Oscar-winning film starring Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, and Kristen Stewart. Lisa graduated valedictorian from Bates College with a degree in biopsychology and holds a PhD in neuroscience from Harvard University. She travels worldwide speaking about the neurological diseases she writes about and has appeared on The Dr. Oz Show, Today, PBS NewsHour, CNN, and NPR. Her TED talk, “What You Can Do to Prevent Alzheimer’s,” has been viewed more than five million times. The New York Times bestseller REMEMBER is her first work of nonfiction.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Read more of our stories on memory: 
Smells connect to memories more than other senses
 ►► https://bigthink.com/neuropsych/smell-hippocampus/ 
Making memories actually involves breaking our DNA, study shows
 ►► https://bigthink.com/neuropsych/memory-dna/ 
New study connects cardiovascular exercise with improved memory
 ►► https://bigthink.com/health/running-memory/ 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

About Big Think | Smarter Faster™
► Big Think 
The leading source of expert-driven, educational content. With thousands of videos, featuring experts ranging from Bill Clinton to Bill Nye, Big Think helps you get smarter, faster by exploring the big ideas and core skills that define knowledge in the 21st century. 
► Big Think+
Make your business smarter, faster: https://bigthink.com/plus/

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Want more Big Think?
► Daily editorial features: https://bigthink.com/popular/
► Get the best of Big Think right to your inbox: https://bigthink.com/st/newsletter 
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