It’s peak exam season at AAS! With final tests stacking up this month, students and parents alike are wondering: What's the secret to unlocking a perfect memory and pulling off top scores? Let’s talk about the science of remembering!

Have you heard the claim that humans only use 10% of their brains, suggesting a magical pill or technique could unlock the remaining 90% and turn our teens into super-geniuses? Wouldn't that be nice? Well, it turns out this is entirely false. Modern brain imaging shows that we use all of our brains, all the time. In fact, our brain cells require constant, active firing just to survive. There is no hidden reservoir of brainpower; peak performance is about optimization, not unlocking unused brains cells.

Another common myth is that students are strictly "visual," "auditory," or "kinesthetic" learners, and that they would do much better if exams matched these unique styles. However, experiments have proven that specific learning styles do not exist. While we all have preferred ways of absorbing information, a particular style will not necessarily help us remember things better. What is real and beneficial, however, is multimodal learning. Students retain information best when they engage multiple senses at once. Combining text, audio, and hands-on practice gives the brain more retrieval routes to trigger and access memories later.

According to brain scientists, our memories are dynamic, malleable, and constantly changing. Every time we learn new, related information, our existing knowledge alters to accommodate it, meaning our memories are continuously being rewritten. Additionally, distractibility has become the norm in our modern lives, especially for our youth. Often, students struggle to remember simply because they are distracted by the sheer volume of multimedia noise surrounding them.

To help our students clear mental clutter and excel, they can adopt several proven methods. First, a great strategy is to utilize the spacing effect. Cramming might help for an exam two hours later, but it fails completely for long-term retention. Spacing out study sessions over several days, weeks or months is far more effective.

Additionally, prioritizing sleep is essential, because the brain works hard while we rest, actively replaying and consolidating what was learned during the day. Sleep is literally when learning solidifies. To further boost retention, students might try engaging multiple senses by reading aloud, drawing diagrams, or explaining concepts to someone else—the more senses involved, the stronger the memory becomes. Finally, practicing brief moments of meditation or tech-free downtime helps reduce distraction, allowing the brain to quiet down, learn, and retrieve information smoothly.

Interestingly, scientists say that human memory evolved to help us make future decisions and survive—not to perfectly replicate facts from our past or a textbook. So, if your teen can't remember to bring their dirty dishes down to the kitchen, just take comfort in knowing that their brain is currently hard at work prioritizing human survival (i.e., exams!) over basic household chores.

References: 

Hagel, Megan, and Leah Hed. "Misconceptions Research Project: The Myth that We Only Use 10% of Our Brains." Communicating Psychological Science, 19 Sept. 2023, www.communicatingpsychologicalscience.com/blog/misconceptions-research-project-the-myth-that-we-only-use-10-of-our-brains. 

Roüast N, Schönauer M Continuously changing memories: a framework for proactive and non-linear consolidation Trends in Neurosciences, 2022; 46, 8-19

Ward, Alie (host). "Mnemonology Part 1 with Dr. Michael Yassa." Ologies, 4 Dec. 2024. Transcript [https://www.alieward.com/ologies/mnemonology]

Westby, C. (2019). The Myth of Learning Styles. Word of Mouth, 31(2), 4-7.