Today I wanna talk about studying, but since studying is such a complex topic I have decided to make this a three part series focusing on the main components of studying: time, productivity, and memory.

Memory will be the topic of this episode. Don't forget to check out part one and two if you haven't got a chance.

clip] “The advantage of a bad memory is that one enjoys several times the same good things for the first time.” 

― Friedrich Nietzsche

[intro]

Today I wanna talk about studying, but since studying is such a complex topic I have decided to make this a three part series focusing on the main components of studying: time, productivity, and memory.

Memory will be the topic of this episode. Don't forget to check out part one and two if you haven't got a chance.

Let's start off with a quick memory test 

[mandela effect]

Does the monopoly man wear a monocle or not?

What color is Pikachu’s tail?

During the iconic star wars scene, what did Darth Vader say to Luke?

The monopoly man does not wear a monocle.

Despite popular belief, Pikachu’s tail is yellow, not yellow and black.

Darth Vader never said Luke’s name when revealing his true identity. 

All three of these questions are common things that people across the world misremember. This is called the mandela effect which derives its name from Nelson Mandela, whom many people believed died as prisoner in the 1980s when in actuality, Nelson Mandela died many years later as a free man in 2013

People underestimate how unreliable memory can be. I can admit that my memory has betrayed me more than all of my enemies put together. And we all have had an experience where we studied, took notes, and even understood the material. But when it was time to bring those facts into recollection, some of the details became foggy and you found yourself looking at two answers that both felt right, but you could only pick one. Frustrating!

The goal of studying is to commit material to memory. So let's pause here and define the three kinds of memory:

Working memory, short term memory, and long term memory

Working memory is used to perform complex tasks and regulates executive functions like emotion, focus, and organization. Working memory is used to make sense of the information being sent to short term memory. Like remembering what the correct order of digits are in a phone number or flipping a switch down to turn a light off as you walk to another room. Working memory can also be abstract like remembering a room number while you get directions on where the room is and where the elevator are. [N Back Test, Calculation Test (add 2, add 3, double)]

Short term memory is used to hold  information for a small period of time. It’s the buffer between working memory and long term memory. Examples of short term memory include remembering an address long enough to put it in your GPS or remembering what caught your eye on a menu until your server returns. During this stage, a person decides if something should be placed in long term memory for future reference or forgotten immediately after use. This stage of memory has its limits, psychologist believe 5-9 units of information can be held in the mind before a person begins to forget.

Long term memory is the mind's directory of information. This is where vital or repeatedly used information is stored like your birthdate or the quickest route to work. Long term memories are formed through constant exposure, meaningfulness, and utility.

 Memories stored here are accessed in 4 major w