Bad at remembering

[Keely]

My memory is bad and it makes me sad. When it really bothers me I start reading articles on how to improve it. They suggest eating certain foods but guess what...I forgot what the foods were. However what I really want to know is what is going on in the mind of a person with a great memory. For example what happens when they watch a movie and an actor says a funny line that they want to quote later? Do they immediately say the line again in their head after they hear it?

[Volcompat321]

I am one of those people that remember almost everything. When it comes to your example, I usually just say it in my head, and pretty much think of a way to bring it up later. Other than your example, I usually try to find something I can relate it (it being the thing in question) later. If it's something that interests me personally, I really don't have to find something to relate it to. Like skateboarding, I love the sport, and been doing it my whole life, so I wouldn't even have to try and relate something to it cause I would remember pretty much automatically. Something like a math formula (when I was in school, math was my favorite subject), I still had to try and relate and use the formula in normal everyday life in order to keep it in my head. I thought of some pretty odd stuff when trying to remember things. I actually found in my personal "tests" saying something over and over again (like a locker combo or number) would actually hurt my chances of remembering. What I would do is; say it once or twice, then "stick" it in the back of my head. When the time came to remember it, it seemed to pop up like I was thinking about it my whole life.

[SStrikerR]

I don't have any clue how my memory is so good. I can remember weird things, like how I met people in PSO and PSU from a few years ago. It really depends on my feeling about the event. If it's something I don't care about (Algebra for example) I usually forget things pretty fast. If the event s important, or just a little thing that brightened my day a little, then I remember it for a long time.


edit: As for movie quotes, I just remember funny things easily.
Also, if you want to find foods that could allegedly help your memory, you could always look them up on the internet and write them down. Then pin the list to your fridge or something.

[Rasputin]

My memory is odd. I remember a lot of things, but I never remember what it is that I'm trying to remember at that moment. In other words, my short-term memory is balls as fuck, but I have great long-term. Excellent. I'm the guy who goes to the market with a list, but then check outs, goes home, then realizes that he forgot he had a list, and ends up forgetting something important. Yeah, shit like that.

tl;dr To combat poor memory, make every password you have the same.

[Kent]

I wrote a similar thing in this section on the same subject - though, from the opposite point of view.

It can be frustrating (no doubt, on both sides of the situation), when you can't understand how someone does something, because of what are (probably) physical differences, rather than habitual or mental differences (I realize there's probably not a PC way of saying that).

I can't tell you what I do to remember as much as I do - because there's literally nothing. It's entirely passive retention of memory, and very much not an active process. It can be incredibly frustrating at times, too, especially when people are under the impression that things you remember, are things you consider important. Therefore, if you remember everything about someone, you're obsessive, but if you forget the basic key things about them (birthday, favorite color, etc.) then you're portrayed as thinking of them as an unimportant and trivial person, which is ultimately insulting (as some could see the opposite as being, as well).

[Nitro Vordex]

My memory is horrible for someone my age. I could go downstairs to get food, and I'd end up checking the pool, watching TV, discussing politics with my dad, helping my gramma with something, calling a friend, and come back upstairs, only to realize that I'm hungry. By that time I don't even care.

Homework is another problem for me. People always say, "Oh, write it in your agenda/student planner!"

Except I forget to look at the planner.

I couldn't remember one of my friend's names for at least 4 months after I met him, and I hung out with him at school every day.

I'd forget my own name if I didn't write it constantly. When I came back to school in August, I actually forgot my own last name, which was really embarrassing.

Other than trying to constantly thing of what I want to remember, there's really nothing I can consciously do. I really think it has to do with me hanging on to older memories. I can remember the house my mom and I used to live in when I was 2 in great detail, yet I sometimes forget how to write in cursive.

[Vanzazikon]

I'm only forgetful if the information is uninteresting to me. If it's something I find interesting, I'm sure to remember it. Unless certain events was taking place during when the information was being passed.

[Nitro Vordex]

It's also weird what kind of details I'll remember.

I won't remember someone's name when they told me, but I'll notice that they shaved earlier that day or they have a slight limp.

[UnluckyHunter]

They typically suggests antioxidants for memory improvement. You know, things like Vitamins C and E. But, unless (wait, should that be, "even if?") you're on a junk food diet, odds are you're already getting plenty. If you have doubts, just eat more fresh fruit.

Our minds work in different ways. Some use acronyms and other mnemonic devices. Never works for me. I think I just make really strange relations (whatever makes sense for me). But, as with all things, practice makes perfect. There are some sites (Like sporcle.com) that have tons of things for you to memorize in a more user friendly game format. Practice, practice, practice.

[SStrikerR]

It true, try different things to try to remember things, and see which works best. One of my friends learned the definition of lugubrious by remembering cucumbers. How? Lugubrious is similar to legumbres, the spanish word for vegetables. It was weird and I don't know how the hell that helped her memorize the definition, but whatever works...