How to Memorize Anything (13 page)

Use of PNN makes it possible to convert any abstract word, phrase, technical term, business jargon, difficult vocabulary word, or foreign language word into a picture. So you can visualize it and can associate the related information with them easily.

HOW TO MEMORIZE COUNTRIES AND CAPITALS

Using association and PNN method, we can memorize confusing and difficult names of various countries and capitals. For example: You are reading about a country called
Bulgaria
and you need to memorize that its capital is
Sofia
. At first it will be difficult for you to visualize these words in your mind. Using the PNN system, when we pronounce Bulgaria slowly as
BUL – GA – RIA
, a familiar word we can find in it is ‘Bull’ or one can say ‘
Bull gir gaya
’ or
‘bull in a grey area’.

The capital of Bulgaria is
Sofia
; a familiar word in it can be ‘Sofa’.

Now make an association between the two. Visualize in your mind that a
Bull
is lying on your
Sofa
.

A funny image like this would be difficult to forget. When you will be asked about Bulgaria, a bull will come in your mind along with the sofa which will help you to recall the capital Sofia.

The above example shows how visualization with association helps you to learn the things faster.

Some more examples:

The capital of Australia is Canberra. This can also be memorized by creating some other PNN of Australia as per your choice, like if
Kangaroo
(its national animal)
or
Ricky Ponting
(Australian Cricket player)
come into your mind, when you think about Australia, you can associate them with Camera
(PNN of Canberra).

If you take Kangaroo, you can visualize that
‘A Kangaroo jumps on you and snatches the camera from your hand’
.

The beauty of the method is that not only are you able to memorize countries with their capitals, you also don’t get confused while recalling the name. Mostly when we memorize such facts, we tend to mix up the information. But here the chances of making mistakes are negligible. For example, if I ask you
what do you remember of Barbados?

An image of a
Barbie Doll
will appear in your mind and if you have visualized it clearly, only a related image of a
town of Barbie on a bridge
will be recalled. No other picture can come to your mind due to the association technique.

Now try to memorize the following sites and their places using the PNN method. Some nick names and their visualization are given for you. For others, make your own PNN and visualize them:

MYTH

Many people think that if we memorize things by making pictures of everything and then associating them, our mind will be full of pictures and we might get confused.

BUSTED

Our brain has a limited capacity for words, but an unlimited capacity for images or pictures.

SELF REALIZATION

Since morning,
can you count how many images have you seen till now?

Do you feel that your brain is full and that you can no longer see more images?

‘NO’
. In fact, even if you close your eyes, more pictures will come into your mind because our mind thinks in pictures and is continuously thinking of something or the other. Even while asleep, thoughts keep coming in the form of dreams.

So,
do not worry.
Even if you stop making visualizations to remember something, your mind will continue to see pictures. Then why not use it purposefully for your own benefit?

HOW TO MEMORIZE ANSWERS USING
PNN
AND
CHAIN
METHOD

Now let’s see how we can use this method to memorize answers.

Q. List out the various processes employed in the separation of components of a mixture.

Ans.
The various processes employed in the separation of components of a mixture are as follows:

1. Winnowing
   
2. Hand-picking
   
3. Sieving
   
4. Decantation
   
5. Filtration
   
6. Magnetic Separation
   
7. Loading
   
8. Churning
   
9. Evaporation
   

Hint: Suggested PNN (you can create your own as well)

Now using the chain method, link the various processes by using their nicknames (PNN).

V
ISUALIZATION
:

Visualize that you want to separate a mixture into its components, so you open your bedroom
window
and take out your
hand
to pick up the mixture.

Instead of the mixture, you find a
sieve
there.

You see the name
canteen
written on it.