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Sanika Week 16: Chunking, Mnemonics, Active Recall

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Chunking, Mnemonics, Active Recall With AP exams currently occurring and finals approaching closer and closer within the next two weeks, most of us may have quite a bit of studying to do. Some subjects, like math and physics, usually require us to understand the concepts in order to learn and do well on the exams. On the other hand, subjects like history or biology aren’t conceptual but rather memorization-based. So let’s take a look at some of the best memorization techniques we can find online. One memorization technique that can be helpful when needing to memorize large amounts of information is known as chunking . Chunking is when you “break up long pieces of information into manageable parts” ( Tejeda ). This allows memorizing information to be less of a daunting or overwhelming task as by memorizing information in smaller chunks over time, our brains are able to form a larger data set in which it is easier to recall what we had memorized. Another memorization technique is mnemon
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Pranay, Week 16: My Memories From Covid-19

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It is often in the most stressful situations that I find my mind away. I go from thinking about my upcoming AP tests and the loads of studying I have left to do to the most insignificant details of my life. Only, they are not. It is in these times I have the greatest revelations and I do not know why. Tonight, this is exactly what happened. image from the World Health Organization Throughout my life, I have been surrounded by a wide variety of people, and it is something I am eternally grateful for. As an Indian American in the Bay Area, I’ve been able to experience the diversity America has to offer while not feeling like the diversity myself. Still, I genuinely feel I have been unable to establish a true connection with any one of them. I didn't really notice this issue until the emergence of COVID-19. One day, I was at school with my friends, eating lunch and discussing the latest basketball game and the next, I was locked in my own home. At first, I didn’t mind it. My whole lif
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Danial, Week 16: Memories of American High

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From quarantine to the present, it is hard to believe that our time at high school is almost over. As we are nearing our last year attending American High, I wanted to reflect on the memories I made so far.   From freshman year in struggling to make new friends to late nights up trying to catch up on assignments the memories I have made in high school will stay with me for the rest of my life. The amazing moments of meeting new people and overcoming various obstacles while developing closer bonds with my friends made my high school experience unforgettable and I will continue to cherish these moments for the rest of my high school years. Image from Rodan Builders Inc Out of everything I gained from my high school experience, stepping out of my comfort zone was the most beneficial skill. During middle school, I used to be extremely shy and would attach to one or two friends that I would talk to all day and never address anyone in any of my classes. As I came into high school, however,
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Ethan Nguyen, Week 16 - Memorization

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For this final blog, I was not sure what to do. Taking inspiration from the AP tests we are taking, I have decided to talk about memorization, specifically some methods you can use to potentially help with studying. Even though it is a bit late, this could help for finals by offering some ideas for your studies and any other times you need to memorize. Although I will discuss some techniques, this will not function quite like a tutorial or guide. With this note aside, back to the topic of memorization.  The practice of writing notes is expected in high school. Teachers no longer have to remind students when to write note. It helps to engage your brain and reinforce the pathways between neurons in order to better retain the information. The physical action and the mental requirements of writing down the notes is what makes the action improve your recollection of the topics. However, writing notes is not always enough. Some topics require more active engagement.  See, a lot of the times,
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Jiya Week 16: Our Previous Blogs

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picture from google As it is almost the end of the year I was trying to recall all the blogs I have written so far and realized I forgot about most of them. We always assume most people will be able to remember what we wrote about but people often need to remember these blogs in a day or two, we might only remember the blogs if they are exceptional or relatable.  This is the same for most of our memory.  Memories that are full of strong feelings tend to stick around for a long time and shape how we see things in the future. This shows how our emotions play a big role in memory. School is a great place to see how memories form. If learning is fun and interesting, we're more likely to remember it later. Remember from biology class, "Mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell"? It's not because we are super into mitochondria—it's because the class made it memorable by turning it into something fun. Think about embarrassing moments, for example. They can make us feel
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Via Week 16: Alzheimer's Disease

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What is dementia? Dementia is not a single disease, but it is the general term for loss of memory, language, and other life-functioning abilities.  Types of dementia. One of the most common diseases under this umbrella is Alzheimer's .  Like most diseases, it is very unfortunate to have Alzheimer's. The thought of being unable to recognize the people you've been surrounded by for years, your most treasured memories disappearing, and going through the challenge of doing simple tasks due to them being easily forgotten, is truly hard to imagine.  One of my loved ones is diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Some symptoms I've noticed as her dementia progressed were short-term memory, confusion, and personality and behavior changes. Gradually watching her symptoms worsen was not easy to witness.  There are many causes of this disease. Genetics, alcohol misuse, sleep problems, immune system problems, head injury, cardiovascular disease, unhealthy diet, aging, and environmental fac
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Sanika Week 15: Memories and Our Identity

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Memories and Our Identity What makes up our identity? We could say ethnicity, culture, religion, appearance, or even career. However, there is something larger than all of these other factors that make up who we are, and that is our memories. Memories are a crucial part of how we, as people, form our individual beliefs and values which contribute to our identity. As a child grows and experiences various situations, “there is part of the brain that creates a story from these experiences” which allows for a sense of self to develop over time ( Hull ). This is due to a memory system known as autobiographical memory which consists of a series of events collected from an individual's life. For instance, someone's autobiographical memory could include playing with their friends at the playground in elementary school, celebrating a birthday, or the first time driving a car. All of these types of memories create the positive parts of ourselves and even allow us to connect with others o
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