Mnemonic Devices: Effective Memory Tools

I use my brain too much. In fact, it seems to be getting worn out from overuse! I have a tendency to forget things that I shouldn't, so I've been using a proven technique that helps me recall specific things that I want to remember. Perhaps you've heard of "mnemonic devices". You may have used some yourself! Mnemonic devices are word associations that aid people in the recollection of specific things. Ironically, the sillier they are, the more likely they'll do their job in helping a person remember.

I first learned about mnemonic devices when I was a freshman at Casa Robles High School in Orangevale, California. I had a wonderful 9th grade teacher named Paul Scarlata, who taught a class called "Study Techniques and Readiness Skills", or S.T.A.R.S, for short. Although the class also involved notetaking and test-taking skills, the introduction to mnemonics had the most impact on my everyday life, as I use nmemonics habitually. (I've also taught the techniques to my daughters, Ariana and Tiffany. They use mnemonics for school-related endeavors. Since mnemonics aren't explored at their respective schools, the girls have almost an unfair advantage over the other children.)

In this article, I'd like to share some of the mnemonic devices that have worked well for me over the years. You might even be able to compose your own. Mnemonics can be extremely useful!

One of my favorite mnemonic devices involves the gas tank on my truck. I could never remember which side my tank was on, so I'd constantly pull up on the wrong side of the gas pump. A mnemonic device came to my rescue a long time ago, however. "When my husband and I have an argument, I am always RIGHT." This may sound conceited and silly, but it helps me remember that my gas tank is on the RIGHT side of my vehicle.

Mnemonic devices also help me to remember names. I am usually terrible with names, and when my family and I started going to Kilmichael Baptist Church in nearby Kilmichael, Mississippi, I used mnemonic devices to help me remember the names of important people. When we first started attending, for example, I wanted to remember the name of the youth leader. His name was Dustin. Since mnemonic devices are very effective when they're extremely silly, I pictured the youth leader as a dignified English butler who was flamboyantly DUSTIN the furniture in an expensive house. I have another friend who welcomed me so warmly into the church that I wanted to definitely remember who she was. Well, her name is "Rita". I've never had another friend named "Rita", so I couldn't associate her with anyone I knew. Instead, I pictured Rita handing me a good mystery novel and instructing me to "RITA chapter a day!" This mnemonic device helped me remember her name. Rita is now one of my dearest friends. Back then, another person I wanted to remember was my Sunday School teacher's wife, Anita. What mnemonic device could I use to remember her name? Well, she and her husband Robert gave us a ride to church one morning, and I mused, "Wow, she drives ANITA car than we do". The fact that my husband and I actually own a pickup truck didn't have any bearing on the effectiveness of the mnemonic. That sentence helped me remember her name almost from the very beginning.

My husband Tom is diabetic. He loves Kool Aid, but isn't allowed the sugar that one would normally put in the soft drink. We use little artificial sweetener packets instead. Well, I was always forgetting how many packs of Kool Aid to use and how many packs of artificial sugar to use to make one gallon of the soft drink. It frustrated me that I couldn't remember something so simple. Then my daughter Ariana suggested I use a mnemonic device. It took a little creativity, but I finally came up with the following effective word association: I picture myself driving to the store to pick up Kool Aid. My hands are obviously on the steering wheel, and the position of my hands are at the ten o' clock position and the two o' clock position. Therefore, to make a gallon pitcher of Kool Aid, I use ten packets of artificial sugar and two packets of Kool Aid. The mnemonic works. I haven't had a problem making Kool Aid since then!

If you have trouble remembering things, I would encourage you to write your own mnemonic devices. The sillier they are, the easier it will be to use them, so don't be conservative when you're making them up! They can be highly effective! Try them!