Hobbies And Interests
Mnemonics
Mnemonics is a standard method of remembering something that can use humor as an effective technique. Take the first letters of each word or phrase that you're committing to memory and create a sentence using those letters. Make it as silly or nonsensical as you can, as these stick in memory best. For instance, it's easy to confuse the order of the planets from the sun out: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. But this strange mnemonic sentence: "My Very Energetic Monkey Just Shoved Us North" is much more colorful and interesting than the bland aforementioned list, and consequently easier to retain.
Draw a Picture
This is a visual device that works similarly to the mnemonic tool, except that it involves an artistic flair. For whatever information you're trying to memorize, draw a picture of it. Make the picture as detailed an interesting as you can, using humor as the key component. For instance, drawing the number 10 in order to remember it won't be as effective as would a bizarre drawing of a beanstalk beside a giant egg.
Pretend You're Talking to a Child
One of the reasons information can be so difficult to retain is because of how complicated it seems. Whittling the concept down to the main point is a much simpler way to spur your memory. Imagine explaining the concept you're trying to memorize to a child. For example, you wouldn't explain photosynthesis to a 5-year-old by saying H2O and CO2 react together with light to create C6H12O6 and O2; instead, you'd tell her that photosynthesis changes sun energy into chemical energy. Take this a step further by reciting your simple explanation to a friend: "Beams of sunlight dance on a flower, and the flower gets thirsty and drinks some water. Soon that light grows and grows until it changes from into air, and that's what we breathe in every day!" Not only would your lab partner be highly amused to hear you describe such a complex procedure like this, but it would be much more easily recalled.
The "Like, But" Method
Another reason people struggle with remembering ideas or concepts, especially if they're new, is because there is no clear link between one piece of information and the next. You can avoid this struggle by relating the information to something you're familiar with. For instance, if you can't remember the author of "The Hound of the Baskervilles," think about your friend Arthur, and picture him swamped by dozens of enthusiastic, baying hounds. Then, not only will you laugh, but you'll recall the name Arthur Conan Doyle. This gives your memory a basis from which to work, and helps relate an otherwise obscure topic with a more commonplace one.