Ways To Improve Memory and Concentration?

[Confused 20]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Does anyone know of any ways to improve one's memory and concentration? I have a very poor memory and concentration skills. It is because of this that I am not doing as well as I would like in my classes. Do books that claim to improve memory work? Can one potentially gain the ability to have a great memory from reading these books? Are there any books on how to improve concentration? Also, will taking a speed reading course improve one's chances of succeeding in college as well as medical school? Any input on what will make me a better student will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[sanche60]

Does anyone know of any ways to improve one's memory and concentration? I have a very poor memory and concentration skills. It is because of this that I am not doing as well as I would like in my classes. Do books that claim to improve memory work? Can one potentially gain the ability to have a great memory from reading these books? Are there any books on how to improve concentration? Also, will taking a speed reading course improve one's chances of succeeding in college as well as medical school? Any input on what will make me a better student will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

I'd try taking a multivitamin before i started one of those programs. I know when i was in my first few years of college i noticed decreased memory, then i realized it was because i was eating all that crappy food that is associated with college. The multivitamins helped me get back into gear. As for the speed reading class, i guess it would help as long as you can retain the info, but i think alot of speed reading is "skimming" which helps you get the basic idea but wouldn't be entirely sufficient when it comes to the details you'll be required to learn.

p.s. dont buy focusfactor, by a generic multivitamin(it has all the same stuff and is like a 1/4 of the price)

 

[Eric Lindros]

Sleep

 

[DropkickMurphy]

Ritalin

 

[akademiks1989]

Ritalin

I am akademiks1989 and I approve this message.

 

[airshad8]

Ritalin

Correction. time release ritalin.

Just don't take too many or you'll suffer zombification. Happened to me last year and it was crazy. Didn't sleep for three days straight so that might have also caused it.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

Correction. time release ritalin.

Just don't take too many or you'll suffer zombification. Happened to me last year and it was crazy. Didn't sleep for three days straight so that might have also caused it.

I prefer (and am prescribed) the standard non-extended release variety.

 

[Dr. Pepper]

Ritalin

I saw someone take this for the first time this semester and, uh,
maybe it would be better to just take the multivitamin.

The guy was more focused, but he scared the hell out of me.

-Dr. P.

 

[Ridcully]

If it's seriously causing you issues, you'll probably want to go see a psychologist or psychiatrist about ADD.

 

[airshad8]

I saw someone take this for the first time this semester and, uh,
maybe it would be better to just take the multivitamin.

The guy was more focused, but he scared the hell out of me.

-Dr. P.

Last year during finals week when I had Orgo, Pchem, and Biochem finals all within a few days I took time release. It was funny shiz. Anytime someone would 'break my concentration' I'd get really upset. Also I had issues with making facial expressions match how I felt...and at one point while ordering a burrito at the campus restaurant, I started to cry because the lady folded my burrito wrong. Not sleeping three days straight and high on methylphenidate (time release ritalin)...best times of my life!

 

[Metatemujin]

Last year during finals week when I had Orgo, Pchem, and Biochem finals all within a few days I took time release. It was funny shiz. Anytime someone would 'break my concentration' I'd get really upset. Also I had issues with making facial expressions match how I felt...and at one point while ordering a burrito at the campus restaurant, I started to cry because the lady folded my burrito wrong. Not sleeping three days straight and high on methylphenidate (time release ritalin)...best times of my life!

LoL, the crying over the burrito is hilarious.

 

[UMP]

Last year during finals week when I had Orgo, Pchem, and Biochem finals all within a few days I took time release. It was funny shiz. Anytime someone would 'break my concentration' I'd get really upset. Also I had issues with making facial expressions match how I felt...and at one point while ordering a burrito at the campus restaurant, I started to cry because the lady folded my burrito wrong. Not sleeping three days straight and high on methylphenidate (time release ritalin)...best times of my life!

yeah, taking lots of adderall does the same fun stuff to me... no mood swings like crying over a burrito, but I get completely brain dead after 40-50 hours

 

[tdkneo]

Does anyone know of any ways to improve one's memory and concentration? I have a very poor memory and concentration skills. It is because of this that I am not doing as well as I would like in my classes. Do books that claim to improve memory work? Can one potentially gain the ability to have a great memory from reading these books? Are there any books on how to improve concentration? Also, will taking a speed reading course improve one's chances of succeeding in college as well as medical school? Any input on what will make me a better student will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Yoga, weightliftings and vitamins

 

[LifetimeDoc]

Yeah, exercise works best for me. I don't do it nearly enough, but when I do I can concentrate and study better for a day or two afterwards. That and lots of caffeine! 😀

 

[NashvilleWill14]

That and lots of caffeine! 😀

Caffeine is good... you could also try getting a DS and Brain Age or Big Brain Academy. I can tell a difference after playing those games for a while.

 

[Andromeda]

don't order speed reading tapes.

 

[sime0n]

wow, rampant illegal drug use on SDN.

 

[airshad8]

wow, rampant illegal drug use on SDN.

How it is illegal?

 

[sime0n]

unless you actually have an attention deficit disorder then it's illegal to take drugs that arent prescribed to you. is that not true?

 

[LolaGene]

Does anyone know of any ways to improve one's memory and concentration? I have a very poor memory and concentration skills. It is because of this that I am not doing as well as I would like in my classes. Do books that claim to improve memory work? Can one potentially gain the ability to have a great memory from reading these books? Are there any books on how to improve concentration? Also, will taking a speed reading course improve one's chances of succeeding in college as well as medical school? Any input on what will make me a better student will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

For concentration, I do my best when I am well rested, which is pretty obvious. Sleep is something caffeine cant touch but for practical reasons I end up relying on caffeine. For memory, Im a visual person so type my notes, read them, handmake study sheets on white paper with colors. After I go over info, it's good to quiz myself with a friend. So I remember by seeing mostly.

 

[airshad8]

unless you actually have an attention deficit disorder then it's illegal to take drugs that arent prescribed to you. is that not true?

I...don't think so....
Just like you can't buy alcohol if you are younger than a particular age- but no one can actually 'arrest' you for drinking underage (yes alcohol is a drug) the same goes for this. Sure schools have policies, but that is just school policy and does not make the it illegal.

Drugs are categorized in levels, stuff like coke and E being up top. These are illegal to consume, to buy, to possess. Stuff like retilin, sure you need a legal prescription to BUY the drug from a pharmacy, does not necessarily mean you can't use it. Technically it's not illegal. There is more info on this kind of stuff on erowid, I just don't have the motivation to pull it up.

Also...caffeine is NOT illegal.

 

[epigastric]

Does anyone know of any ways to improve one's memory and concentration? I have a very poor memory and concentration skills. It is because of this that I am not doing as well as I would like in my classes. Do books that claim to improve memory work? Can one potentially gain the ability to have a great memory from reading these books? Are there any books on how to improve concentration? Also, will taking a speed reading course improve one's chances of succeeding in college as well as medical school? Any input on what will make me a better student will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Speed reading courses/books don't improve your memory and concentration, they just teach you tricks to get through the book faster. The first two years of medical school reward your ability to understand what's important out of endless lectures and notes of material, memorize it in very short amounts of time, and then apply it logically to exams. Speed reading isn't the way to go. If you're worried, work on improving your study skills instead.

 

[sime0n]

i think it is illegal to buy alcohol if you are underage and you can get arrested for it. similarly if you buy some adderall on the street, it is also illegal.

"Maj. Gordon Hoffman with the Texas Tech Police Department said there is a hefty fine for possession of Adderall or Ritalin without a prescription.

According to the Texas Criminal and Traffic Penal Code, possession of an amphetamine without a prescription is a second degree, third degree or state jail felony.

The degree of felony is decided by how much of the drug is in possession with a second-degree felony being the harshest punishment of not more than 20 years or fewer than two years of imprisonment."

http://www.dailytoreador.com/media/...0612211220&sourcedomain=www.dailytoreador.com

 

[airshad8]

i think it is illegal to buy alcohol if you are underage and you can get arrested for it. similarly if you buy some adderall on the street, it is also illegal.

"Maj. Gordon Hoffman with the Texas Tech Police Department said there is a hefty fine for possession of Adderall or Ritalin without a prescription.

According to the Texas Criminal and Traffic Penal Code, possession of an amphetamine without a prescription is a second degree, third degree or state jail felony.

The degree of felony is decided by how much of the drug is in possession with a second-degree felony being the harshest punishment of not more than 20 years or fewer than two years of imprisonment."

http://www.dailytoreador.com/media/...0612211220&sourcedomain=www.dailytoreador.com

I already said that it is illegal to buy alcohol if you are underage. I am talking about use. Also it is being assumed that people are buying ritilin. One could easily get some from a friend who has a prescription. Is this still considered illegal exchange?

 

[geno2568]

germ line gene therapy.

muahahaha

 

[anonpremed]

try to space your learning. i.e. if you must memorize something, try to review the material every night. for example if you must memorize some details out of a 20page text, try it without too much effort. then repeat the same material 24hr later, and keep doing it, eventually you'll get it. also it seriously helps if you go to sleep with a textbook under your pillow.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

unless you actually have an attention deficit disorder then it's illegal to take drugs that arent prescribed to you. is that not true?

Well, it doesn't matter WHY it was prescribed so much as whether it was prescribed (unless you get into the legality of prescribing to feed an addiction, which is a whole other ball of wax). But in my case, I do have ADD and I have a prescription.

Is this still considered illegal exchange?

Yes. If you give it or sell it to a person to whom it is not prescribed, yes, it is illegal.

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

Does anyone know of any ways to improve one's memory and concentration? I have a very poor memory and concentration skills. It is because of this that I am not doing as well as I would like in my classes. Do books that claim to improve memory work? Can one potentially gain the ability to have a great memory from reading these books? Are there any books on how to improve concentration? Also, will taking a speed reading course improve one's chances of succeeding in college as well as medical school? Any input on what will make me a better student will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Get 8 hours of sleep a night. This is VERY important. Keep yourself in good health, study often (keep up/review -- don't cram,) and take lots of breaks. Many claim the average human attention span is about 50 minutes, so study in chunks of an hour and take a LITTLE break in between chunks. Read the lecture material BEFORE lecture, so that lecture in and of itself is somewhat of a review. Take good notes and go over them a few hours after lecture. These techniques helped me to concentrate and retain a lot of info in courses that require a lot of memorization like Upper-Division Bio. and OChem.

 

[MonkeyNuts!]

One of the vitamin B's are supopsed to be good...