5 Powerful Techniques to Memorize Definitions Instantly: Stop the “La Cram La Pour” Failure

5 Powerful Techniques to Memorize Definitions Instantly: Stop the “La Cram La Pour” Failure

Imagine this: You are in the exam hall. The invigilator just shouted, “Five minutes remaining!” You are staring at Question 3b. You read this definition ten times last night. You know it. But right now? Your brain is blank.

It’s painful.

This is the reality for thousands of Nigerian students every year, from WAEC candidates to university undergraduates. We often confuse “reading” with “memorizing.” They are not the same thing. If you are tired of staring at your ceiling and forgetting everything the next morning, you need to change your strategy.

Here are the techniques to memorize definitions instantly and actually remember them when it matters.

Why “La Cram La Pour” is a Trap

We all know the drill. You memorize a textbook word-for-word, pour it out on the exam sheet, and forget it two days later. That’s “La Cram, La Pour.”

It works for small tests, but for massive exams like JAMB or final year papers? It’s a disaster waiting to happen.

When you cram without understanding, your brain treats the information like a temporary file. Once the stress hits—maybe the invigilator stands too close to you or the fan stops working—that file gets deleted. To pass consistently, you need to move that information into your long-term memory.

Technique 1: The Feynman Method (Teach Your “Village People”)

This is one of the most effective ways to learn anything fast. It’s named after a physicist, Richard Feynman, but let’s bring it home.

Here is how it works: Read the definition. Then, look away and try to explain it in simple English, as if you are teaching a primary school student or your grandmother in the village.

If you have to use big words or check the textbook again, you don’t understand it yet.

For example, don’t just memorize “Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants manufacture food.” Explain it like: “Plants cook their own food using sunlight and water.” If you can simplify it, you own it. Top universities like the University of Ibadan (UI) often encourage deep understanding over rote memorization because it helps in practical application.

Technique 2: The “Weird Picture” Visualization Strategy

Your brain loves pictures. It hates boring text.

If you are trying to memorize a boring definition in Economics or Chemistry, turn it into a crazy mental image. The weirder, the better.

Let’s say you need to remember “Inflation.” Imagine a balloon (representing price) getting bigger and bigger until it explodes and money rains down, but the money is tiny and useless.

Sound silly? Yes. But you will remember that silly image in the exam hall faster than you will remember a paragraph of text.

Technique 3: Acronyms & Mnemonics (Beyond MR NIGER D)

We all remember the characteristics of living things because of MR NIGER D (Movement, Respiration, etc.). Why stop there?

Create your own acronyms for difficult lists. If you have to list the causes of the First World War for a Government exam, take the first letter of each cause and make a word. It doesn’t even have to be a real word.

This is a classic strategy used by medical students worldwide to remember complex anatomy. Educational resources like Khan Academy often suggest this for breaking down complex lists into bite-sized chunks.

Technique 4: Active Recall (The Close-Your-Book Rule)

Most students study passively. You open the note, read it, highlight it, and nod your head. You feel like you’re learning.

But you’re lying to yourself. This is the illusion of competence.

The real way to memorize is Active Recall.

1. Read the definition.

2. Close the book completely.

3. Say the definition out loud or write it down on a fresh sheet of paper.

4. Open the book and check.

Did you miss a keyword? Do it again. This forces your brain to “sweat.” It’s hard work, but it strengthens the memory pathways.

Technique 5: Chunking (Breaking the Big Grammar)

Some definitions, especially in Law or Anatomy, are long and scary. Don’t try to swallow the whole thing at once. You will choke.

Break the definition into three parts:

1. The Subject (What are we talking about?)

2. The Action (What does it do?)

3. The Result (What happens?)

Memorize these “chunks” separately, then link them together. It makes the task feel smaller and less overwhelming.

Common Study Mistakes That Kill Your Memory

You might be using the techniques above, but if your environment is bad, they won’t work.

• Multitasking: You cannot memorize a definition while pressing your phone or replying to WhatsApp messages. According to research cited by platforms like Verywell Mind, multitasking significantly drops your IQ and retention while studying.

• Lack of Sleep: If you pull an “all-nighter” (TDB) and don’t sleep, your brain cannot save what you learnt. Sleep is the “save button” for memory.

• Studying in Chaos: I know hostels can be noisy, but try to find a quiet corner. If you can’t, use earphones with white noise.

Final Words: Study Smart, Not Hard

You don’t need to be a genius to have a great memory. You just need the right technique.

Stop reading the same line twenty times hoping it will stick. It won’t. Stand up, act it out, draw a picture, or teach it to an imaginary class.

The next time you pick up that textbook for JAMB or your semester exams, try just one of these methods. You’ll be surprised at how much faster the information sticks.

Now, go and crush that exam.