It’s that time of the year when you can’t decide between packing up your university residence in time for your move out date and studying for finals. Should you choose the latter, here’s how you can train your brain to make sure you ace those exams.
Photo by Emma Delaney
A research study by the Department of Psychology at St. Lawrence University, New York shows the advantages of chewing gum while studying and its effects on cognitive performance.
Chewing gum has been shown to increase heart rate and blood pressure, and this allows for a greater blood flow to the brain. So, chewing a stick of gum during crunch time could be one of the better decisions you make this exam season to get that much needed final exam memory boost. Basically, candy may have the ability to make you more intelligent… no joke.
GIF courtesy of Giphy
In fact, you may find this socially mediated Life Hack tweet familiar: “Chewing the same flavor gum when taking a test as you did when studying will improve your memory.”
The key here is to take notice of the flavouring that is used as a constant factor in memory association, and the physical state of the body as the manipulative factor of body association. Using state-dependent learning, one can control the state of the body in both situations, which is studying and writing an exam in this case. Your mind is trained to associate specific flavours with memories, and therefore, help with your cognitive ability to recall information.
Photo by Katherine Baker
Psychology Today suggests that this is due to the fact that chewing causes arousal since it implies that nutrients are on their way to the brain. Also, certain jaw nerves that are stimulated through the action of chewing help with arousing the brain. Does studying sound sexy yet?
GIF courtesy of Giphy
One of the best things you can do this exam season is to go all out with your study snacks to maximize the benefits of memory association. And what better way to do that than buying in bulk? Bulk Barn is a great place for Canadians to store up for winter and exam season. Its large assortment of dried fruits, nuts, and sweet treats can be overwhelming, but exactly what you need to trigger your memory.
Photo by Helen Poon
You’ll want to be looking out for any form of gum candy, like stick candy bubble gum that comes in many flavour options. It’s one of the best ways to apply the chewing gum study mentioned earlier, as it really gets you working that jaw. Just make sure you’re not going overboard with an oral fixation, and if you do, try other food alternatives to chew as a break between chewing gum. Popcorn and dried chips are some great options for this too, and if you want to get real fancy, go all out and pimp out your popcorn.
Photo by Meredith Marcus
Take some time off your studying schedule and grab those packs of gum like your life depends on it. Keeping in mind that we’re all students, gum can be one of the kinder snacks for your wallet. Chew on it while you study and train your brain to remember those important facts to ace those exams.
Just make sure you have a food or flavour pegged for each subject you’re studying for. Then, grab a handful and have some just before you sit for the exam. This way, you’ve trained your brain’s memory power to be associated with your taste buds. And that’s the recipe for killing your final exams.