Remember more of what you study.

A memory palace connects each idea to a location. When you need to remember, you mentally retrace your steps and use those places as reminders. An ordered path gives you a way to work through the material, one idea at a time.

A 2021 review of controlled studies found a meaningful improvement in memory with the method of loci. For your own studying, try giving the stages of a process or a set of key terms their own places along a simple route.

You can learn the technique without starting as a memory expert. In the 2017 study, people new to memory training practiced for 30 minutes a day across 40 sessions. Their recall improved more than the groups who practiced a different task or received no training.

Start small with your own material. Learn a short route, connect each image to its meaning, then try to recall the ideas with your notes closed. As the route becomes familiar, build up the amount you practice.

Trying to answer from memory gives you a clear picture of what has stuck and what deserves another look. This is called retrieval practice. A review of classroom experiments found learning benefits across a range of subjects, ages, and test formats.

After a walkthrough, try the quiz or explain the lesson aloud in your own words. Check your answers, revisit anything you missed, and give it another try. Each attempt gives your next study session a clearer focus.

Space your practice across separate sessions so you have another chance to recall the material after a break. A large review of learning experiments found that distributing practice over time supports longer-term retention.

Return to a lecture on a later day and try recalling it before replaying it. Spend more time on the ideas you struggled with, and adjust your review schedule around your progress and exam date.

Bring these ideas together around one lecture. Use your memory palace to learn the key points, then practice the explanations and questions you want to feel ready for.