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People ask themselves why they forget when they want to remember certain things. However, some other people remember just a few of the things they want to remember but the important question is Why do we even forget?. The answer is not far-fetched. Therefore, today, you and I will quickly take a look at some of the reasons why people especially students forget so you can easily make concious efforts to avoid them as much as possible.
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Firstly, most students forget because of paying poor attention to whatever is being taught. or not properly attending to what we wish to remember. Therefore what happens is that the experience does not make a strong enough impression on us. We gorget because we do not pay sufficient attention to what we remember in order to imprint it firmly on the mind. Therefore, a good memory depends on the attention we pay to what we want to remember as one cannot attend to more than one thing at a time. Therefore give full attention to what you wish to remember.
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Secondly, students easily forget because they do not revise what they have been taught or what they learn. it is however normal to forget most of what we have learned within a few days after learning it unless we consistently revise it to keep it fresh in mind. This is because much of what we learn is forgotten more slowly. Research have shown that after one hour, 56% of the material which we have learnt is forgotten but after nine hours only, a further 8% had been forgotten, after two days, 6% and only a further 7% after as long as one month. In order words, about 70% of the amount which was forgotten in the first month was forgotten in the first hour of the month.
Thirdly, interference is another reason why people forget. Studies have shown that other activities we pursue after learning something interfere with our ability to remember it. This means that we forget something we learn because we have learnt other things subsequently. The amountof forgetting depends on the similarity of the material learned on to a material learned in the past. Interference is most active when the interefering material is most similar to the material originally learned. Another way intereference occurs is when what has happened previously interferes with what is happening now. Likewise, work which precedes learning also tends to interfere with the retention of the learned material. What has happened before an experience cause us to forget it as well as what happened afterwards.
Fourthly, repression is another good reason we have to talk about when we are discussing why people forget. It is a process whereby we prevent ourselves from becoming aware of some tendency active in the mind which oppose to each other and the desire to recall being countered by a strong resistance or wish not to recall. Sometimes we more easily forget a memory which conflicts with our comfort or self esteem than one which does not. That is why what is repressed may not be unpleasant in itself, it is forgotten because it is associated with something else which is unpleasant. For example it is easier to forget an appointment.
Fifthly, what we put into our mouth i.e food relates to why we often forget as students. Food plays an important role in our memory. Studies have shown that students suffer because of two major things which are the food they eat and the foods they refuse to eat. There are some food we eat that affects our brain. These foods include highly seasoned dishes, meat, salt, stale food while certain things like cigarettes, alcohol, salt, food colors and caffeine affects the brain. These foods are forbidden because they hamper the blood energy circulation in the mind and body.
Lastly, saving the best for the last, most students forget because of lack of proper sleep. Most students neglect this area and it impacts negatively on their memory. Proper sleep is need for the good and proper functioning of the brain. Therefore ensure youtake enough sleep. However, too much of everything is bad and therefore, moderation is very important.