Everyone wants to memorise their English quotes quickly. Preferably, in the few hours before the exam.
Today, we’re sharing the top 5 tips to bring you closer to this reality.
These tips work for English quotes, science theory and all other subjects that require high volume content knowledge.
Gentle disclaimer: we can’t guarantee it will only take the night before the exam to memorise the entire HSC course content for a subject, so do start earlier if you can.
If you want tips on beating procrastination, try this article.
Ditch the laptop and opt for handwritten notes.
Writing by hand activates more neural pathways than typing—it engages your visual processing, motor control, and memory centres all at once.
Your brain is more active in the process, which helps stronger memory encoding.
Think about how much better you remember something when you’ve experienced it firsthand. That’s because real-life learning taps into your emotions, movement, and senses.
Same idea here.
As a bonus, you’re improving your writing speed at the same time.
Read what you want to memorise over and cover the content. Write down as much as you remember. Repeat this process until you can write the entire section down without referring to your notes.
The best way to determine if you know a subject well, is if you can explain it to someone who has not learned it before.
Can you explain it in simple enough words that a five year old can understand it?
Teaching forces active recall; you have to understand the material deeply so that you are able to pull information from your brain and answer unexpected questions instead of passively reviewing it.
The harder the brain works, the stronger information will be encoded into your memory.
Find a volunteer – ideally an actual five year old. A friend who needs help in the subject is another great potential student. Sit them down and teach them. You will be astounded at how much better you retain and understand the concept.
Did you know, according to the National Institutes of Health, 65% of the population identifies as visual learners – this means they remember information better when their visual sense is engaged.
Instead of reading information, re-represent it in images, diagrams, colours and shapes. Draw it out in a way that works for your brain chemistry.
Associating fun elements with heavy information can make it easier to digest.
Rather than repeating your notes over and over again, turning it into something catchy simplifies the information in a way that feels more natural.
One of the most common instances of this is singing the quadratic equation to Pop goes the Weasel.
By now, the secret’s out: the more senses you activate while processing information, the better your brain retains it.
That’s because your brain is biologically wired to remember what stands out. Unusual experiences break routine—and historically, that could mean danger.
Think about it: it’s far more useful for your brain to remember that the red mushroom made you sick than to waste energy tracking every boring meal you’ve ever eaten.
So move your body, study at a new library – try anything that increases your sensory input while you’re memorising something.
Secret Tip: Chew gum (according to UK psychologists)
A study at the UK University of Northumbria revealed that chewing a certain flavour of gum whilst revising content and then chewing that same flavour during the test can help with remembering content.
The gum flavour reminds your brain to access stored information as you’re more likely to recall information better when you’re in the same environment or state as when you first learned it.
So, when you chew that same gum during the test, it can trigger those memory connections and help you recall what you revised.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is this: the more intensely your brain is engaged—through sensory input, emotional response, or cognitive challenge—the better it will memorise.
When your brain has to work harder and feel more, it leaves a stronger imprint. Passive input fades fast; active experience sticks.
Check out the rest of our blog for more no fluff expert tips on high school study strategy, HSC performance, and choosing the right path forward.