Absurd Question....

Dr Jacoby

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 Mar 2013
Messages
14,298
...that I am in desperate need of answering.

How do you absorb and retain information?

The reason for my mind-bogglingly stupid question is because in two weeks' time I will be returning to an academic environment for the first time in seven years.

I believe it is pertinent to add the following:

(1) I have recently been diagnosed with autism.

(2) My short-term memory is uncomprehendingly abysmal. Now I recognise that this may sound hyperbolic but I can assure you all it is not. It's so bad that I frequently forget the names of recently introduced characters from the crime/horror fiction novels my heart so dearly craves. Although my psychiatrist continues to reject my request for a CT scan, I remain adamant that my brain must be severely crippled and from here on in will only regress further.

(3) At school I was the very definition of 'mediocre' and even that may be somewhat of an embellishment because my highest grade in secondary education never eclipsed a B. Whilst it's tempting to blame my folks, who never ingrained into me that my studies were of particular importance, the true fault I'm afraid lies on my proverbial doorstep. I attended school to amuse and entertain - which would explain my popularity with my peers - not to learn and realise my academic potential.

(4) It is yet to be ascertained what type of learner I am. Whilst the college in question assert that they can deduce this merely by running me through some standardised tests, I remain skeptical at this juncture. I strongly fear that I am too low-functioning to pass the course. Moreover, the tuition fees + examination costs incur a charge of almost £5,500. If I decide to opt out at anytime after the first two weeks of my course's commencement date, I am liable to reimburse the college the full sum for the year.


Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
If you enjoy it you will remember it , bet you can remember every starting player for Man City last week, or name majority of the squad 10-15 years ago. So my advice when coming to learn stuff is.. enjoy it!
 
Since a brain injury i can't retain or recall small details or even some events but i am fortunate i don't work so i can let things go in one ear and out of the other

Respect to you for doing what you are doing

I would guess writing everything down and keeping it in some kind of order might help

Let us know how you get on
 
Everyone learns more effectively in different ways. I learn by teaching myself, I find it very hard to concentrate if someone else is trying to teach me something, but if I just read the textbook then I'm fine. I have a terrible attention span though and generally pick things up quickly, so in teaching environments I just switched off as things went too slowly for me, I have to go at my own pace.
 
Sorry - what was it you were saying?

Seriously, good on you and best of luck. You'll only find what works for you when you try a few strategies.

I'm lucky as I've got a tremendous recall capacity and can remember one off events or faces from years ago. It can be embarrassing as you tell people where and when you met them 25 years ago and they have no memory of it at all and think you're taking the piss.

The usual way is to repeat things until they stick and use keywords to summarise ideas. Linking something that's easy to remember to something less easy to remember is a key memory technique.

Also why not try to record lectures if you can?
 
When learning a new route at work I take notes then at home I just draw a map, then write the route out, then draw another map, then write it out again.
I am constantly repeating this until I feel I have it and until I have to pass out on it.
Sorry it sounds boring but it's the only way I can retain the info I need.
 
Writing stuff down really helps, just the act of writing it down, never to read it again, helps. Also as has been said, repetition. If you force yourself to think about something (whatever it might be) over and over it will eventually stick whether you want it to or not.
 

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