essay about having a good memory

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Memories Essay – Prompts And Examples To Get You Covered!

What would life be without memories? I guess it wouldn’t even exist, right? Both happy and worse are memories to keep. There is always a lesson to pick up from any memory that you have.

Guess what?

The brain, as small as it may seem, accumulates thousands and thousands of memories. Imagine the big servers stored in a data center – that is nothing compared to your brain.

A childhood memories essay is one most student enjoys when presented with to write. They quickly rush to recounting some of their experiences but forget one crucial aspect. When the deal is too good, then think twice.

Now let’s get down to some writing prompts.

30 Great Memories Essay Writing Prompts

My Childhood Memories Essay

• What was your favorite game with your siblings
• Can you recall a scary childhood memory?
• How was your first walking experience like
• Describe your first day in school experience
• What was your best childhood snack?
• Do you recall your first childhood friend? How did you meet?
• Describe your first toy
• What was your best childhood color?
• Do you remember your first pet?
• Describe your first school bag

My High School Memories Essay

• What life lessons did you learn in high school?
• How was your first experience in high school? Did you find it amusing?
• What new things did you discover and learn in high school?
• Did you send letters to your crush from other schools?
• How was it like attending classes? Did you cut some lessons with your friends?
• What did you feel about high school field trips?
• How or what was your high school farewell song? Do you miss it?
• What capabilities and talents were you able to discover in high school?
• How was it like staying up late to study for exams?
• How did high school change your perception of people and life in general?

Episodic Memories Essay

• Describe your first job experience
• How did you feel when you first visited the beach during summer
• How was your first plane experience? Did you enjoy it?
• Where did you first visit for your valentine’s date with your spouse?
• How did you feel when you first participated in an election?
• Where were you when the tragic September attack took place?
• The movie you saw on your first laptop
• Who was your first roommate on campus?
• Which was your first country to visit overseas?
• How did you feel the first time you moved in all by yourself?

Such memories can be a good start to writing a memories essay of your own. If you think you may not have all the details, don’t torment yourself. You can always ask around from your parents, old friends, teachers, and even neighbors.

An essay on memories should be handled with a lot of caution. Why may you ask? Such an article should be free from biases. It should be objective. And that is where the problem lies.

Luckily, the solution is simple. Learn more.

Structure of a Memories Essay

As of other essays, an essay on memories also has the same structure:

• Introduction,
• Conclusion.

Let’s briefly look at each of these sections.

The Introduction

It is the doorway to your essay. You start by establishing the context of your memories essay, which will act as a hook to your readers. A quote can do well in this case.

For example, “Cakes are special. Every birthday, every celebration ends with something sweet, a cake, and people remember. It’s all about the memories.” Buddy Valastro.

The quote above creates an interest in the reader’s mind and provokes them to poke further into the essay. An introduction ends with a thesis statement.

Example: “memories are truly add meaning to life.”

It carries the significant weight of the essay with supporting examples, facts, and even statistics. It is made up of body paragraphs directly relating to your memories essay thesis statement. The standard paragraph structure of a topic sentence, explanation, examples, and illustrations are followed.

Here is an example of a well-defined body paragraph:

“Those high school outings are my most treasured memories. I recall the moments we boarded the school bus and visit interesting places. I remember how amazing it was putting on my best shirt, set aside for that special occasion. Memories of how we would buy goodies in the mall before heading back to school still linger in my mind. That’s the best part of my school life. It never gave me a frown.”

The Conclusion

Here, you restate the thesis statement and make a summary statement of the memories discussed in the body. You can choose to also conclude with a quote such as the one below.

“Childhood is like being drunk. Everyone remembers what you did except you” Noor. H.

Memories Essay – You Need Help With That?

For you to write one of the best childhood memories essay, ensure that you include the most exciting events. Events, where you did funny or creepy things, are easy to recall. Go for such, and you will have a free course of ideas.

Can you recall a childhood memory and write a memory essay now?

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May 29, 2012

Why Is Memory So Good and So Bad?

Explaining the memory paradox

By Julian De Freitas

What did you eat for dinner one week ago today? Chances are, you can’t quite recall. But for at least a short while after your meal, you knew exactly what you ate, and could easily remember what was on your plate in great detail. What happened to your memory between then and now? Did it slowly fade away? Or did it vanish, all at once?

Memories of visual images (e.g., dinner plates) are stored in what is called visual memory. Our minds use visual memory to perform even the simplest of computations; from remembering the face of someone we’ve just met, to remembering what time it was last we checked. Without visual memory, we wouldn’t be able to store—and later retrieve—anything we see. Just as a computer’s memory capacity constrains its abilities, visual memory capacity has been correlated with a number of higher cognitive abilities, including academic success, fluid intelligence (the ability to solve novel problems), and general comprehension.

For many reasons, then, it would be very useful to understand how visual memory facilitates these mental operations, as well as constrains our ability to perform them. Yet although these big questions have long been debated, we are only now beginning to answer them.

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Memories like what you had for dinner are stored in visual short-term memory—particularly, in a kind of short-term memory often called “visual working memory.” Visual working memory is where visual images are temporarily stored while your mind works away at other tasks—like a whiteboard on which things are briefly written and then wiped away. We rely on visual working memory when remembering things over brief intervals, such as when copying lecture notes to a notebook.

The question is: when are these memories wiped away? And when they are, can we still discern traces of what was originally ‘written,’ or does nothing at all remain? If visual short-term memories are only gradually wiped away, then remnants of these memories should still be retrievable; but if these memories are wiped out all at once, then we shouldn’t be able to retrieve them in any form whatsoever.

UC Davis psychologists Weiwei Zhang and Steven Luck have shed some light on this problem. In their experiment , participants briefly saw three colored squares flashed on a computer screen, and were asked to remember the colors of each square. Then, after 1, 4 or 10 seconds the squares re-appeared, except this time their colors were missing, so that all that was visible were black squares outlined in white. The participants had a simple task: to recall the color of one particular square, not knowing in advance which square they would be asked to recall. The psychologists assumed that measuring how visual working memory behaves over increasing demands (i.e., the increasing durations of 1,4 or 10 seconds) would reveal something about how the system works.

If short-term visual memories fade away—if they are gradually wiped away from the whiteboard—then after longer intervals participants’ accuracy in remembering the colors should still be high, deviating only slightly from the square’s original color. But if these memories are wiped out all at once—if the whiteboard is left untouched until, all at once, scrubbed clean—then participants should make very precise responses (corresponding to instances when the memories are still untouched) and then, after the interval grows too long, very random guesses.

Which is exactly what happened: Zhang & Luck found that participants were either very precise, or they completely guessed; that is, they either remembered the square’s color with great accuracy, or forgot it completely. It was almost as if their memories behaved like files on a computer: Your Microsoft Word documents don’t lose letters over time, and your digital photos don’t yellow; rather, they continue to exist until you move them into the trash—where they are wiped out all at once.

But this, it turns out, is not true of all memories. In a recent paper , Researchers at MIT and Harvard found that, if a memory can survive long enough to make it into what is called “visual long-term memory,” then it doesn’t have to be wiped out at all. Talia Konkle and colleagues showed participants a stream of three thousand images of different scenes, such as ocean waves, golf courses or amusement parks. Then, participants were shown two hundred pairs of images—an old one they had seen in the first task, and a completely new one—and asked to indicate which was the old one.

Participants were remarkably accurate at spotting differences between the new and old images—96 percent. In other words, despite needing to remember nearly 3,000 images, they still performed almost perfectly.

However, it turns out that they were only this accurate when the new and old images came from different types of scenes (e.g., a golf course and an amusement park). In order to test just how detailed these memories really were, the psychologists also analyzed how participants performed when the images were from the same types of scenes (e.g., two different amusement parks). Since images from the same scene type differ from each other in fewer ways than do images from different scene types, the only way participants would’ve been able to succeed at pointing out differences between these similar images is if they had remembered them with a truly vast amount of detail.

As you might expect, participants were worse at discriminating between same-category images, but not by much, scoring as high as 84 percent. In fact, even when the experimenters increased the number of images that participants initially needed to remember for a given type of scene, participants were still good at distinguishing the old image from the new—with only slight decreases in performance. That said, the fact that memory performance decreased at all shows that, although our memories are very detailed, they are not photographic .

These two separate experiments present a paradox: why are we capable of remembering such a massive number of images with great detail in some instances, and not even a few images after a couple of seconds in others? What determines whether an image is stored in long-term vs. short-term memory?

In a recent review , researchers at Harvard and MIT argue that the critical factor is how meaningful the remembered images are—whether the content of the images you see connects to pre-existing knowledge about them. In the Zhang & Luck experiment, you try to remember meaningless, unrelated colors, and so no connection with stored knowledge is made; it’s as if the white board is scrubbed clean before you get a chance to copy the scribbles into your notebook. But in the Konkle et al. experiment, you see images of recognizable scenes that you already have meaningful knowledge about—such as where the roller coaster is likely to be located relative to the ground. This prior knowledge changes how these images are processed, allowing thousands of them to be transferred from the whiteboard of short-term memory into the bank vault of long-term memory, where they are stored with remarkable detail.

Together, these experiments suggest why memories are not eliminated equally— indeed, some don’t seem to be eliminated at all. This might also explain why we’re so hopeless at remembering some things, and yet so awesome at remembering others.

Are you a scientist who specializes in neuroscience, cognitive science, or psychology? And have you read a recent peer-reviewed paper that you would like to write about? Please send suggestions to Mind Matters editor Gareth Cook, a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist at the Boston Globe. He can be reached at garethideas AT gmail.com or Twitter @garethideas .

Psychology Discussion

Essay on memory: (meaning and types).

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Read this Comprehensive Essay on Memory: Meaning, Nature and Types of Memory !

Meaning and Nature :

Memory is one of the important cognitive processes. Memory involves remembering and forgetting.

These are like two faces of a coin. Though these two are opposed to each other by nature, they play an important role in the life of an individual.

Remembering the pleasant experiences makes living happy, and on the other hand remembering unpleasant experiences makes living unhappy and miserable. So here forgetting helps individual to forget unwanted and unpleasant experiences and memories and keeps him happy.

In this way, remembering the pleasant and forgetting the- unpleasant both are essential for normal living. In the case of learners, remembering is very important, because without memory there would be no learning.

If learning has to progress, remembering of what is already learnt is indispensable, otherwise every time the learner has to start from the beginning.

The memory is defined as ‘the power to store experiences and to bring them into the field of consciousness sometime after the experience has occurred’. Our mind has the power of conserving experiences and mentally receiving them whenever such an activity helps the onward progress of the life cycle.

The conserved experience has a unity, an organisation of its own and it colours our present experience.

However, as stated above we have a notion that memory is a single process, but an analysis of it reveals involvement of three different activities- learning, retention and remembering.

This is the first stage of memory. Learning may be by any of the methods like imitation, verbal, motor, conceptual, trial and error, insight, etc. Hence, whatever may be the type of learning; we must pay our attention to retain what is learnt. A good learning is necessary for better retention.

Retention is the process of retaining in mind what is learnt or experienced in the past. The learnt material must be retained in order to make progress in our learning. Psychologists are of the opinion that the learnt material will be retained in the brain in the form of neural traces called ‘memory traces’, or ‘engrams’, or ‘neurograms’.

When good learning takes place –clear engrams are formed, so that they remain for long time and can be remembered by activation of these traces whenever necessary.

Remembering:

It is the process of bringing back the stored or retained information to the conscious level. This may be understood by activities such as recalling, recognising, relearning and reconstruction.

Recalling is the process of reproducing the past experiences that are not present. For example, recalling answers in the examination hall.

Recognising:

It is to recognise a person seen earlier, or the original items seen earlier, from among the items of the same class or category which they are mixed-up.

Relearning:

Relearning is also known as saving method. Because we measure retention in terms of saving in the number of repetition or the time required to relearn the assignment. The difference between the amount of time or trials required for original learning and the one required for relearning indicates the amount of retention.

Reconstruction:

Reconstruction is otherwise called rearrangement. Here the material to learn will be presented in a particular order and then the items will be jumbled up or shuffled thoroughly and presented to the individual to rearrange them in the original order in which it was presented.

Types of Memory :

There are five kinds of memory. These are classified on the basis of rates of decay of the information.

a. Sensory memory:

In this kind of memory, the information received by the sense organs will remain there for a very short period like few seconds. For example, the image on the screen of a TV may appear to be in our eyes for a fraction of time even when it is switched off, or the voice of a person will be tingling in our ears even after the voice is ceased.

b. Short-term memory (STM):

According to many studies, in STM the memory remains in our conscious and pre-conscious level for less than 30 seconds. Later on this will be transferred to long-term memory.

c. Long-term memory (LTM):

LTM has the unlimited capacity to store information which may remain for days, months, years or lifetime.

d. Eidetic memory:

It is otherwise called photographic memory in which the individual can remember a scene or an event in a photographic detail.

e. Episodic memory:

This is otherwise called semantic memory which is connected with episodes of events. The events are stored in the form of episodes and recalled fully in the manner of a sequence.

Related Articles:

• 11 Factors that Influence Memory Process in Humans
• 7 Main Factors that Influence Retention Power | Memory | Psychology
• Essay on Forgetting: Causes and Theories
• Memory Types: 3 Main Types of Memory | Remembering | Psychology

Childhood Memories Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on childhood memories.

Memories are a vital component of our bodies. They shape our personality as all our knowledge and past experiences are stored there. All of us have memories, both good and bad. You have memories from long ago and also from recent times. Furthermore, some memories help us get by tough days and make us cheerful on good days.

Memories are the little things which help in running our lives smoothly. In other words, memories are irreplaceable and they are very dear to us. They help us learn from our mistakes and make us better. In my opinion, one’s childhood memories are the dearest to anyone. They help in keeping the child in you alive. Moreover, it also is a reason for our smiles in between adult life.

Importance of Childhood Memories

Childhood memories are very important in our lives. It makes us remember the best times of our lives. They shape our thinking and future. When one has good childhood memories, they grow up to be happy individuals. However, if one has traumatic childhood memories, it affects their adult life gravely.

Thus, we see how childhood memories shape our future. They do not necessarily define us but they surely play a great role. It is not important that someone with traumatic childhood memories may turn out to be not well. People get past their traumatic experiences and grow as human beings. But, these memories play a great role in this process as well.

Most importantly, childhood memories keep the inner child alive. No matter how old we get, there is always a child within each one of us. He/She comes out at different times.

For instance, some may act like a child on seeing swings; the other may get excited like a child when they see ice cream. All this happens so because we have our childhood memories reminding us of the times associated with the things we get excited about. Therefore, childhood memories play a great role in our lives.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

My Childhood Memories

Growing up, I had a very loving family. I had three siblings with whom I used to play a lot. I remember very fondly the games we use to play. Especially, in the evenings, we used to go out in the park with our sports equipment. Each day we played different games, for example, football on one day and cricket on the other. These memories of playing in the park are very dear to me.

Furthermore, I remember clearly the aroma of my grandmother’s pickles. I used to help her whenever she made pickles. We used to watch her do the magic of combining the oils and spices to make delicious pickles. Even today, I can sometimes smell her pickles whenever I look back at this memory.

Most importantly, I remember this instance very clearly when we went out for a picnic with my family. We paid a visit to the zoo and had an incredible day. My mother packed delectable dishes which we ate in the zoo. My father clicked so many pictures that day. When I look at these pictures, the memory is so clear, it seems like it happened just yesterday. Thus, my childhood memories are very dear to me and make me smile when I feel low.

Q.1 Why is Childhood Memories important?

A.1 Childhood memories shape our personality and future. They remind us of the good times and help us get by on tough days. Moreover, they remind us of past experiences and mistakes which help us improve ourselves.

Q.2 What can be a common childhood memory for all?

A.2 In my opinion, a childhood memory most of us have in common is the first day of school. Most of us remember what we felt like on the first day. In addition, our birthdays are also very common childhood memory that reminds us of gifts and celebrations on that day.

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Essays About Childhood Memories: Top 5 Examples

Our childhood memories are often some of the most cherished experiences of our lives, so if you are writing essays about childhood memories, you can start by reading our essay examples and writing prompts.  

Childhood is the period in our lives when we learn about our feelings, social skills, and the world around us. When we think of our childhood, we remember the years when we learn the most basic life skills, from being able to talk to the difference between “good” and “bad.”

Many fondly look back on their childhood memories, recalling when life was much more straightforward. They remember their parents, grandparents, favorite foods, friends, and essential experiences, among many other things. It is easy to imagine the idyllic, innocent life most of us had before, especially in our challenging times. 

If you want to write essays about your childhood memories, go over the essay examples, and writing prompts featured below. 

1. Happy childhood memories – and an old mix-tape by Séamas O’Reilly

2. favorite childhood memory by david dziegielewski, 3. a reflection of my childhood by shivani bajaj.

• 4.  I Would Have Liked Childhood More Without the Pressure to Grow Up by Jane Coaston

5. Lessons from my mother: A reflection on motherhood by GraceAnna Castleberry

1. your favourite childhood memory, 2. the importance of positive memories from childhood, 3. memories of your childhood home, 4. important figures from childhood, 5. the value of childhood memories, 6. childhood vs. adulthood, 7. childhood food memories.

“For the last few years I lived here, I was the same height as I am now, so why am I astonished at the low hang of countertops, or that I can catch my reflection in the mirror that hangs high on the wall? Sometimes peering at that tired, but devilishly handsome, man in the mirror evokes the same, bittersweet feeling of vertigo you get from visiting your old primary school, as you stand 3ft higher than you’re supposed to, like some befuddled Lemuel Gulliver.”

In his essay, O’Reilly reflects on his time visiting his father in his childhood house. He recalls his memories inside the house alongside his son’s experiences today and how they are similar. He also explains how pleasant it is to be in the house again, as it evokes warm, cozy memories of his upbringing. While much has changed about the house, every visit remains as nostalgic as ever.

You might also find these essays about camping trips helpful.  

“I always smile when I remember fishing with my Father. Many years have now since passed since those Saturday morning fishing trips. Time has taught me that the bond between Father and Son is what made those memories special to me. Now when I close my eyes I can remember those days since passed with joy and with a remembrance of the love I have for my Father.”

In this short essay, Dziegielewski describes memories of fishing with his father. He recalls every detail, from the fresh smell of the lake to the sound of a fishing bobber. Most importantly, however, he remembers how his father taught him the skill of fishing. This made him love his father, even more, allowing him to look back on these memories fondly.  You can also check out these essays about development .

“Water also drives many of our decisions — from the seafood we eat to our most romantic moments, and from where we live, to the sports we enjoy, and the ways we vacation and relax. We know instinctively that being by water makes us healthier, happier, reduces stress, and brings us peace.”

Bajaj recalls a memorable experience in which she dove into a deep pool after her mother had told her not to. She remembers the feelings of curiosity and excitement she felt and how despite her nearly drowning, she remembers that time happily. Reflecting on the memory, she also explains how water has helped her become more satisfied, peaceful, and happy. Our childhood memories shape us and provide us with the basis for the rest of our lives.

4.   I Would Have Liked Childhood More Without the Pressure to Grow Up by Jane Coaston

“I felt like I was given no time for trial and error. My choices were either to make the very selective local club soccer team or never play the sport again, be a genius or give up. Because being bad at anything was the worst possible sin I could imagine committing.”

Coaston writes about a more negative aspect of her childhood: the constant pressure to “not be a kid anymore.” She recalls several things expected of her, including having exceptional grades while being athletically gifted at the same time, with “no time for trial and error.” She feels everything was expected of her, and she did not have time to discover herself by making mistakes. She wishes parents would not rush their children along and let kids be kids for a while.  Check out these essays about growing up .

“I remember calling home once when I was spending the night at a friend’s house. I was homesick and just wanted to come back home. It was near midnight, but my mom drove over and picked me up. It was in these little moments that I especially felt loved. These were moments when I really needed my mom, and she was there for me. As a mother of a one-year-old now, I treasure these moments too.”

In her essay, Castleberry recalls her childhood memories involving her mother, including ones in which her mother entertained her and her friends and picked her up from a late night at a friend’s house. She remembers the small things her mother would do for her and how she was always there when she needed her. In raising her daughter, Castleberry strives to be the same mother that her mother was for her. 

7 Writing Prompts On Essays About Childhood Memories

Think back to one beloved childhood memory and retell the story in your essay. Then, describe all of the details you can recall, such as; who was involved, where the memory took place, what events transpired, and why it is such an important memory. Next, provide context by explaining the circumstances behind the memory, and most important of all, be sure to explain how this memory made you feel. Finally, use descriptive language to convey why this memory is your favorite.

Whether good or bad, people say childhood memories are crucial to who you are today. Why is this the case? In your essay, write about the value of keeping your childhood memories close. Then, write about any lessons you learned from them, and include a mix of supporting details from research and your opinions. 

Describe the home you lived in as a child- the layout, the neighborhood, the living conditions, and whatever else you can think of. Did you like it? Write about how it compares to your current home, and if you still live in the same place today, describe how it has changed from before and how it is similar. 

You can also write about a childhood figure who impacted you, such as one of your parents, grandparents, uncles, or aunts. Explain why you remember this person so well and the impact they have had on your life. For inspiration, you can look through an old photo album with photos of that person. 

Recall your childhood and think about this: overall, is it a childhood others would enjoy? Did you have a “good” childhood, or If there is anything, you can also include things you would change about your childhood you could. In this essay, delve into the value of your childhood memories and write about any that impacted your life for the better.

Compare yourself now to how you were back then. In most cases, much has changed; however, what similarities do you see between you now and in your childhood memories? If you wish to be more like “childhood you” in some ways, explain these as well. 

For a fun essay, write about your favorite food growing up. Include a brief description of how to prepare it and perhaps some of its history. What significance does this food have to you? You can also write about any memories you associate the dish with, as these might explain why you enjoyed that food so much. 

Grammarly is one of our top grammar checkers. Find out why in this Grammarly review .

If you are interested in learning more, check out our essay writing tips !

Martin is an avid writer specializing in editing and proofreading. He also enjoys literary analysis and writing about food and travel.

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How Technology Can Help Us Remember Better

I n the digital age, we have the technology to document our lives in extraordinary detail via photographs, voice recordings, and social media posts. In theory, this ability to effortlessly capture the important moments of our lives should enrich our ability to remember those moments. But in practice, people often tell me they experience the opposite.

I study the neuroscience of memory and one question I hear again and again is whether technology is making us “dumber” —or, more precisely, whether it’s hurting our ability to remember. For some, the question is motivated by worry about the amount of time their children spend on screens or mobile devices. For others, it reflects concerns about their own memory problems.

A common fear is that there might be a “use it or lose it” principle at play—that an increasing dependence on our devices for reminders will lead us to lose our own capabilities to remember. This might be true for certain skills. If, for instance, you always rely on navigation apps in new or unfamiliar neighborhoods, you might not attend to features in the environment to create a mental map that would allow you to learn to navigate on your own. However, there is no reason to think that relying on technology to store important information will somehow lead your brain to wither in ways that are bad for memory. In fact, I’m all for outsourcing mundane memory tasks, like memorizing phone numbers, passwords, email addresses, and appointments. I don’t have a photographic memory—but my phone does.

So, if technology can help us “free up space” for the things we want to remember when we need to remember them, why do so many of us feel like its presence in our lives is leading us to form blurry, fragmented, and impoverished memories?

The short answer: technology isn’t the problem—it’s how we interact with it.

To form lasting memories, we need to focus on what is distinct about the present moment, those immersive sensory details we can call back up to reconstruct an experience when we remember. As we go about our daily lives, we usually do a pretty good job of focusing on what’s relevant, and for that, we can thank a part of the brain called the prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex helps us focus attention on and meaningfully process what we need to learn, to search for memories that are “in there somewhere,” and to keep our recollections accurate when we manage to remember the right thing.

But, in a world where our conversations, activities, and meetings are routinely interrupted by text messages, emails, and phone calls, these abilities get swamped—and we often compound the problem by splitting our attention between multiple goals. Multitasking can make us feel that we’re being more efficient. Many of us even pride ourselves on our ability to switch from one task to another, but it comes at a cost.

Read More: Why Multitasking Is Bad for You

Each time we are routinely distracted or intentionally toggle between different media streams (such as reading a text message while maintaining a conversation), prefrontal resources are sucked up to regain our focus. The result is that we remain one step behind, and after all is done, we are only left with blurry, fragmented memories.

Outside of the workplace, we often use technology to document our lives. The proliferation of “Instagram walls” and the throngs of people at concerts recording the action with their smartphones illustrate how technology has changed our lives. The ubiquity of smartphone cameras enables us to easily document our experiences, yet for most of us this hasn’t translated into a more expansive memory for the personal past. Again, the problem isn’t necessarily with the technology, but rather that we are filtering our experiences through the lens of a camera.

Taking photos does not necessarily have a good or bad effect on memory. The critical factors involve how you direct your attention and whether you meaningfully engage with the subject matter. Our brains are designed to do more with less, by engaging meaningfully with a little bit of high-quality information rather than amassing a massive catalog of information. When we focus on “documenting” over “experiencing,” we don’t pay attention to what is distinctive in the moment, the sights, sounds, smells, and feelings that make an experience unique—and memorable. Without those immersive details, something that was so vivid when we experienced it (a family vacation or child’s violin recital) can wind up feeling as distant to us as a story we read in a book. By trying to record every moment, we don’t focus on any one facet of the experience in enough detail to form distinctive memories that we will retain.

The negative potential of technology is exacerbated by a culture of sharing experiences on social media platforms. Social media engagement can have a negative effect on memory, partly because it involves multitasking (e.g., switching between recording the moment and engagement with social media platforms) and increases the potential for distraction.

Social media itself isn’t bad for memory, per se. Like most forms of technology, it’s a tool that when used properly can even enhance our memory of an event, but the images we post are often accompanied by captions with brief descriptions, rather than a thorough reflection on the event. Some platforms like Snapchat and Instagram stories, feature photo posts that disappear within 24 hours—an apt metaphor for the way in which mindless documentation can leave us bereft of lasting memories for our experiences.

Read More: How to Make Your Mind Happy, According to Neuroscience

Technology can enhance memory if it is used consistently with principles that help us remember. Thoughtfully taking pictures or videos at opportune moments can orient us to what is interesting and distinctive around us. My daughter, for instance, likes to selectively photograph plants and flowers that catch her eye on our nature walks, which allows her to pause and fully take in those aspects of the scenery as we are experiencing them in the moment.

After you take those pictures and videos, organize them in a way that will allow you to find them later (as we used to in the old days with photo albums) and make sure to revisit them later on. In the following weeks, revisit those photos and use them as cues to mentally re-experience those events, bringing back as many details as possible. By using the photos almost like a “test” of your memory, and spacing out those tests, you can enhance your ability to retain memories of the entire event, not only what is in the photo. Journaling can be another way to enhance memory because it allows us to test our memory for an event and also integrate it in a meaningful way, so that we can shape our narrative of the experience.

As with memory itself, a key principle for technology is that “less is more.” All the life-logging in the world will not enable us to remember all our experiences, nor is that a desirable goal in the first place. Our memories for events are selective, but they also can have a great deal of detail, meaning, and emotion. By mindfully using technology in ways that allow us to access those aspects of our past experiences, we can hold on to what matters.

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Short essay on Good Memory

Most of us, in general, dwell on the importance of having a good memory. A bad memory is such a handicap in life that everyone realizes the advantages of a good one. By a good memory we mean a retentive and accurate memory; one that will retain for us the knowledge once gained, and retain it correctly. How slow and erratic will be the progress of a student who cannot remember what he has learnt.

He is like Sisyphus, the poor wretch the Greek fable tells about, who was condemned to push a stone up a “hill in Hades which was rolling down again and again before it reached the top. In business life, a man who cannot remember his appointments and is always forgetting their order he receives will soon be left behind. A servant who forgets to do his work at proper, time quickly, loses his job. One of the poorest excuses we can make for work undone is “I am awfully sorry; but I forgot.”

And it is an excuse that is not excused if it is made too often. A good memory is essential for a student, businessman, employee, politician – in fact for everyone in every walk of life. It is necessary, too, in social life; for a person who forgets his social engagements and never remembers the faces of those he met, will never be social success.

People with bad memories, however, need not despair, for even the worst memory is inattention, lack of concentration. We often blame but our lack of attention when learning. You read a book and at once forget all about it; you forget it because you never really took it into your mind, and your mind was wandering so you never really took it into your mind what the author wrote. The first step in training memory is to learn, to concentrate your mind on what we are doing, and give it our whole thought.

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We must learn to notice things, carefully observe what we see, consciously and determinedly attend to what we are about; and then regular repetition of the knowledge we have gained will quickly strengthen our memory till remembering becomes a habit.

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How to Improve Memory Effectively

11 Research-Backed Ways to Increase Memory Power

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and international bestselling author. Her books, including "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," have been translated into more than 40 languages. Her TEDx talk,  "The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong," is one of the most viewed talks of all time.

If you've ever found yourself forgetting where you left your keys or blanking out information on important tests, you've probably wondered how to improve memory. Fortunately, there are plenty of things that you can do to increase memory power.

Obviously, utilizing some sort of reminder system can help. Setting up an online calendar that sends reminders to your phone helps you keep track of all those appointments and meetings. Creating daily to-do lists can ensure that you don't forget important tasks that need to be completed.

But what about all the important information that you need to actually cement into your long-term memory ? It will take some effort and even involve tweaking or dramatically changing your normal study routine, but there are a number of strategies you can utilize to get more out of your memory.

Before your next big exam, be sure to check out some of these tried and tested techniques for improving memory naturally. These 11 research-proven strategies can effectively improve memory, enhance recall, and increase retention of information.

Focus Your Attention

Attention is one of the major components of memory. In order for information to move from your short-term memory into your long-term memory, you need to actively attend to this information. Try to study in a place free of distractions such as television, music, and other diversions.

Getting rid of distractions might be a challenge, especially if you are surrounded by boisterous roommates or noisy children.

Set aside a short period of time to be alone.

Ask your roommates to give you some space or ask your partner to take the kids for an hour so you can focus on your work .

Avoid Cramming

Studying materials over a number of sessions gives you the time you need to adequately process information. Research has continuously shown that students who study regularly remember the material far better than those who do all of their studying in one marathon session.  

Structure and Organize

Researchers have found that information is organized in memory in related clusters. You can take advantage of this by structuring and organizing the materials you're studying. Try grouping similar concepts and terms together, or make an outline of your notes and textbook readings to help group related concepts .

Utilize Mnemonic Devices

Mnemonic devices are a technique often used by students to aid in recall. A mnemonic is simply a way to remember information. For example, you might associate a term you need to remember with a common item that you are very familiar with. The best mnemonics are those that utilize positive imagery, humor, or novelty.

Come up with a rhyme, song, or joke to help remember a specific segment of information.

Elaborate and Rehearse

In order to recall information, you need to encode what you are studying into long-term memory. One of the most effective encoding techniques is known as elaborative rehearsal.

An example of this technique would be to read the definition of a key term, study the definition of that term, and then read a more detailed description of what that term means. After repeating this process a few times, you'll probably notice that recalling the information is much easier.

Visualize Concepts

Many people benefit greatly from visualizing the information they study. Pay attention to the photographs, charts, and other graphics in your textbooks. If you don't have visual cues to help, try creating your own. Draw charts or figures in the margins of your notes or use highlighters or pens in different colors to group related ideas in your written study materials.

Sometimes even just making flashcards of various terms you need to remember can help cement the information in your mind.

Relate New Information to Things You Already Know

When you're studying unfamiliar material, take the time to think about how this information relates to what you already know. By establishing relationships between new ideas and previously existing memories , you can dramatically increase the likelihood of recalling the recently learned information.

Read Out Loud

Research published in 2017 suggests that reading materials out loud significantly improves​ your memory of the material.   Educators and psychologists have also discovered that having students actually teach new concepts to others enhances understanding and recall.

Use this approach in your own studies by teaching new concepts and information to a friend or study partner.

Pay Extra Attention to Difficult Information

Have you ever noticed how it's sometimes easier to remember the information at the beginning or end of a chapter? Researchers have found that the order of information can play a role in recall, which is known as the serial position effect.

While recalling middle information can be difficult, you can overcome this problem by spending extra time rehearsing this information. Another strategy is to try restructuring what you have learned so it will be easier to remember. When you come across an especially difficult concept, devote some extra time to memorizing the information.

Vary Your Study Routine

Another great way to increase your recall is to occasionally change your study routine . If you're accustomed to studying in one specific location, try moving to a different spot during your next study session. If you study in the evening, try spending a few minutes each morning reviewing the information you studied the previous night.

By adding an element of novelty to your study sessions, you can increase the effectiveness of your efforts and significantly improve your long-term recall.

Get Some Sleep

Researchers have long known that sleep is important for memory and learning. Research has shown that taking a nap after you learn something new can actually help you learn faster and remember better.

In fact, one study published in 2014 found that sleeping after learning something new actually leads to physical changes in the brain. Sleep-deprived mice experienced less dendritic growth following a learning task than well-rested mice.

So the next time you're struggling to learn new information, consider getting a good night's sleep after you study.

Frequently Asked Questions

Research suggests that both the Mediterranean and MIND diets may help prevent memory loss issues, and each of these dietary eating plans is rich in veggies, whole grains, and fish.

Many factors can contribute to memory issues, some of which include certain medical conditions, medication side effects, diet, head injury, and more.

Winerman L. Study smart . American Psychological Association.

Manning JR, Kahana MJ. Interpreting semantic clustering effects in free recall .  Memory . 2012;20(5):511-517. doi:10.1080/09658211.2012.683010

Forrin ND, Macleod CM. This time it's personal: the memory benefit of hearing oneself . Memory. 2018;26(4):574-579. doi:10.1080/09658211.2017.1383434

Cortis Mack C, Cinel C, Davies N, Harding M, Ward G. Serial position, output order, and list length effects for words presented on smartphones over very long intervals .  J Mem Lang . 2017;97:61-80. doi:10.1016/j.jml.2017.07.009

Yang G, Lai CS, Cichon J, Ma L, Li W, Gan WB. Sleep promotes branch-specific formation of dendritic spines after learning .  Science . 2014;344(6188):1173-1178. doi:10.1126/science.1249098

National Institute on Aging. What do we know about diet and prevention of Alzheimer's disease?

National Institute on Aging. Do memory problems always mean Alzheimer's disease?

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Home — Essay Samples — Life — Moment — A Memory That I Will Never Forget

A Memory that I Will Never Forget

• Categories: Moment Personal Life

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Published: Sep 16, 2023

Words: 625 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

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The setting, the journey, the encounter.

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Essay on My Favorite Childhood Memory

Students are often asked to write an essay on My Favorite Childhood Memory in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on My Favorite Childhood Memory

The joy of my first bicycle.

As a child, my most cherished memory is the day I got my first bicycle. It was bright red, with shiny handlebars and a loud horn. I felt a rush of excitement the moment I saw it. My dad held the seat steady as I climbed on. The first few tries were shaky, and I stumbled a lot. But with each fall, I got back up, determined to ride smoothly.

Learning to Ride

After many tries, I finally pedaled without falling. The wind in my hair, I felt unstoppable. My parents clapped and cheered from the sidewalk. That day, I learned more than just riding a bike. I learned that with patience and practice, I could do anything. This memory of joy and accomplishment is one I’ll always treasure.

250 Words Essay on My Favorite Childhood Memory

My best childhood memory.

When I think of my childhood, many fun times come to mind. But the one I cherish the most is the day I learned to ride a bike. It was a bright summer day, and my older brother decided it was time for me to ride without training wheels.

My brother took me to the park with my shiny red bike. At first, I was scared. I thought I would fall without the small extra wheels on the sides. But my brother held the back of the seat and ran beside me. He kept telling me to keep pedaling and to look straight ahead. His words were like magic, and slowly, I felt less scared.

Success at Last

After many tries, something amazing happened. My brother let go, and I didn’t even notice. I was riding all by myself! The wind was in my hair, and I was going faster than ever. I felt like I was flying. When I finally stopped and looked back, I saw my brother clapping and cheering. I had done it!

Why It’s Special

This memory is special because it was the first time I felt truly proud of myself. My brother’s help and the joy of learning something new made that day unforgettable. It taught me that even when things seem hard, with a bit of help and courage, I can do anything. Every time I see a bike, I remember that summer day and smile. It was a simple day, but it is my favorite childhood memory.

500 Words Essay on My Favorite Childhood Memory

When I think back to my childhood, many memories come to mind, but one stands out the most. It was the day my family and I went to the beach during summer vacation. That day is my favorite childhood memory because it was filled with joy and laughter, and it brings a smile to my face every time I remember it.

The Trip to the Beach

It was a bright and sunny morning when we started our trip to the beach. My parents, my little sister, and I piled into the car, each of us excited for the day ahead. We sang songs and played games on the way there, making the car ride part of the fun. The drive felt short because we were having such a good time together.

Building Sandcastles

As soon as we arrived, I could feel the warm sand under my feet and hear the waves crashing. The first thing I did was to build a sandcastle with my sister. We used buckets and shovels to shape the sand into towers and walls. My parents helped us decorate our castle with shells and seaweed. It wasn’t just a sandcastle; it was our little masterpiece, and we were proud of it.

Playing in the Water

After building the sandcastle, we ran towards the water. The sea was cool and refreshing. My sister and I jumped over waves and laughed every time one of us got splashed. My parents watched us from the shore, smiling and taking pictures to capture the moment. It felt like the water washed away all our worries, and all that mattered was the fun we were having.

Family Picnic

When we got hungry, we had a picnic on the beach. My mom had packed our favorite snacks and sandwiches. We sat on a big blanket and ate while we looked at the sea. There’s something special about eating outside, with the breeze and the sound of the waves. It made the food taste even better.

Watching the Sunset

As the day came to an end, we watched the sunset together. The sky turned into beautiful colors of orange and pink. It was like watching a painting come to life. We sat in silence, taking in the beauty of nature. It was the perfect end to a perfect day.

Why It’s My Favorite Memory

That day at the beach is my favorite childhood memory because it was a day spent with my family. We didn’t need fancy toys or gadgets to have fun; just being together was enough. It taught me the value of family and how simple moments can become the most precious memories.

This memory is like a treasure in my heart. Whenever I feel sad or miss my family, I think about that day, and it makes me happy. It reminds me that happiness comes from love and togetherness. That’s why my trip to the beach with my family is the memory I hold dearest from my childhood.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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Best Childhood Memories Essay Ideas: 94 Narrative Topics [2024]

Many people believe that childhood is the happiest period in a person’s life. It’s not hard to see why. Kids have nothing to care or worry about, have almost no duties or problems, and can hang out with their friends all day long.

Our specialists will write a custom essay specially for you!

An essay about childhood gives an opportunity to plunge into your memories. All you need to do is recollect those happy days and write a brilliant essay! In this article by Custom-Writing.org , you’ll find great tips and topic ideas to kickstart the process.

• 🔝 Top 10 Topics
• 💡 Coming Up with Ideas
• 🧸 Childhood Memories Essay Topics
• ✍️ Writing Examples & Guide
• 🔍 References

🔝 Top 10 Childhood Topics to Write About

• Your favorite holiday memory.
• Your brightest memories of winter.
• Your earliest school memory.
• Your first visit to a farm.
• What was your favorite toy?
• Do you remember your granny’s kitchen?
• Your childhood memories of your parents.
• Your best childhood friend.
• Things that you initially disliked at school.
• Experiments with physics in childhood.

💡 Coming Up with Childhood Memories Essay Ideas

Perhaps you got lost in your memories and cannot choose the best one to describe in your essay. Or maybe you have a bad memory and cannot recollect something specific to write about. If that’s the case, here are some recommendations for you.

Childhood Memories List: How to Write

Don’t know where to start? Try creating a list of your memories to decide which ones you need for your paper.

There are our top tips on making a childhood memories list:

• Write down everything that comes to your mind. What are some significant memories from your childhood? Every little experience starting with your earliest memory matters. Of course, you don’t need all of this information for your essay. Still, it will help your brain to start working in the right direction.
• Try to focus on specific things such as holidays, trips, or food. Everybody’s favorite childhood memories are often connected with them. Remarkable events also might include school, neighborhood, hometown, presents you received, and your achievements. Nostalgia is your best friend in this case.
• Divide your memories into categories. Good childhood experiences such as receiving a dream present or adopting a pet belong to one category. Life-changing events, key achievements, and unfortunate accidents can go into other categories.
• Try not to avoid bad childhood memories. It’s not the most pleasant thing in this task. But sometimes, writing about bad situations or challenges is a good strategic decision for your paper. It can also help your personal growth.

How to Remember Childhood Memories

What is your earliest memory? A frightening fall down the stairs? Or perhaps blowing candles on your second birthday? Whatever the content, it is probably short and vague.

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When we grow older, our recollections of early childhood become fragmentary . In fact, a profound memory loss occurs, which psychologists call infantile amnesia (you can learn more about it from the article “ New perspectives on childhood memory ”). Memories formed during early childhood are more fragile than those formed later in life.

That’s why it’s a great idea to write down our childhood recollections. This way, they’ll stay with us even after they lose their rich vividness and start to fade altogether.

Naturally, you can’t keep everything in your head. Some childhood memories will stay with you forever, while others vanish during your teenage years. Remembering something you have forgotten is not an easy task.

Here’s a way out: use this checklist to recall your childhood experiences:

Feeling completely out of ideas? Or maybe you can’t think of a specific topic? Keep reading to learn how to generate new ideas and write a great childhood memories essay.

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🧸 Childhood Memory Essays Topics List

Favorite childhood memory ideas.

• Meeting Santa at a mall
• A gift you’ve created yourself
• First time you stayed up all night
• Your first visit to an amusement park
• Your favorite children’s book or comic
• Your best childhood camping memory
• The craziest fact you’ve learned as a child
• Memory about winning a school competition
• What was the most fun school assignment?
• Your favorite food at the elementary school cafeteria

Early Childhood Memories Essay Topics

Kindergarten is often the place where kids start socializing for the first time. Think about your experiences with friends and teachers, as well as with your family. These topic ideas will help you get on the right track:

• The first day in kindergarten . Kindergarten is a new world for a child. It has an unfamiliar environment, new people, and rules. This essay can aim at discussing feelings and expectations that accompany a child on their first day.
• Describe the first pet you had in early childhood. Almost all families have a pet that they love. Often pets are given to children as presents. This essay can relate the best moments spent with a pet when you were little.
• A relative who was closest to you in early childhood. Every child has a family member with whom they enjoy spending time. It could easily be a parent, a grandparent, a sibling , or perhaps an uncle. Write about exciting moments related to your beloved relatives.
• Your first childhood hobby . Most people had hobbies when they were kids. This initial interest sometimes determines one’s future occupation. Here, you can describe the activities you used to do as a little child. Focus on the events associated with your first hobby .
• Festive events in kindergarten . During the whole year, people celebrate many holidays. Naturally, kindergartens hold festive events to amuse children. This essay can portray the unforgettable celebrations in kindergarten .
• Describe family gatherings from your childhood.
• A typical day in your kindergarten.
• What’s the first birthday celebration you remember?
• Activities or games in kindergarten .
• Your first Halloween costume.
• Things that you didn’t like in kindergarten.
• Write about your relationship with nature in early childhood.
• Describe a performance you took part in when you were little.
• What was the best teacher in your kindergarten like?
• Discuss the book or story you loved the most in early childhood.

Elementary School Memories Essay Topics

Would you like to look back at your elementary school days? This section is just what you need. Check out these ideas and get inspired:

• How you met your first teacher. Teachers lead children through a complicated yet exciting path. That’s why we all remember our teachers, especially the first day of meeting them. This essay can recount the brightest moments associated with this event. Additionally, you might describe the teacher’s appearance and personality .
• The most challenging lesson in elementary school . You can probably recall numerous lessons from your school years. This essay can aim at describing positive and negatives aspects of studies, as well as your favorite classes.
• Memories about extracurricular activities in school. It could be sports, artistic pursuits, or activities related to specific subjects. Describe your personal preferences and say who inspired you to start doing them.
• Celebration events at school. Celebrations create the brightest and most joyful memories. In this essay, you can share personal experiences about such events, be it school performances, shows, or games.
• Who was your best school teacher ? Describe the personalities of your favorite teachers and explain why you liked them.
• Write about a person who helped with school lessons .
• What did your first school building look like?
• Describe what you daydreamed about in school.
• Wonderful hikes or trips organized by the school.
• What were your plans for the future growing up?
• Write about going to a museum with your class.
• Memories of participation in school sports activities.
• Recall your participation in writing for a school newspaper .
• Did you take part in any important school activities or events?

Happy Childhood Memories Essay Topics

When writing about your childhood, you’d probably prefer recalling happy events rather than sad ones. But what if you don’t know which pleasant memory to choose? This list will help you make up your mind!

• The best birthday party ever. Recall the most exciting details associated with it. For example, describe some beautiful presents and a celebratory atmosphere.
• The day you’ve met your first love . Write about the impressions, feelings, and the most treasured memories associated with that day.
• Recall the best day spent with your childhood friend. Recount the activities and events that made you happy.
• The most significant achievement in childhood. Recall your achievements connected with the studies, sports, or arts. You can start by describing the task you’ve had, explain its importance, and thank the people who helped you.
• The day you made somebody happy . This essay can describe the instances where you helped others. What were your motivations, and why did it make you happy?
• Describe the best school gathering you can remember. Schools often organize parties where students can have fun. This essay can recount the circumstances and special moments related to such a party.
• Recall a fictional character you liked the most in childhood.
• Write about the best present you gave to someone when you were little.
• Describe the best surprise made by friends or relatives in childhood.
• The most wonderful journey or trip in childhood.
• A sad event that changed things for the better.
• What were the happiest summer holidays in your childhood like?
• Chronicle the day when your childhood dream came true.
• Write about your childhood fear and how you overcame it.
• Tell about getting a good grade for an important assignment.
• Describe the first home where your family lived.

Funny Childhood Memories Essay Ideas

Writing about a funny event is perhaps the best option you can choose. You’ll enjoy describing it, and your readers will appreciate you for making them laugh! Here are some prompts to kickstart the creative process.

• Recollect your childhood actions that make your relatives laugh. Children often behave in interesting, comical, and amusing ways. This essay can detail some fun moments that your parents remember.
• Amusing and funny moments in your favorite cartoons . You probably remember many great cartoons from your childhood. What made them funny? Do you still find them entertaining?
• The funniest pranks you did at school. If you were a mischievous child, this topic is for you. Recall various funny, elaborate, or even failed pranks you did at school.
• Describe the first time you rode a bicycle . Learning to ride a bike is a staple of many childhoods. It’s challenging, but once you master it, you will never forget how to ride it!
• What tricks used to help you pass difficult exams ? Usually, students make cribs or copy someone else’s answers. You can describe more creative ways of passing exams.
• Poking fun at younger siblings . If you have brothers and sisters, you probably tease each other. How do you feel about such activities? Do you both have a good laugh, or did somebody get upset?
• Playing superheroes in childhood. Many children have favorite superheroes such as Batman , Spiderman, Ironman, and others. What were your personal favorites? Did you try to imagine you have superpowers?
• Describe the most ridiculous haircut you’ve had when you were little.
• Funny moments with your school teachers.
• Did you have an imaginary friend? What were they like?
• Trying to cook in childhood.
• What tricks did you use to hide bad marks from your parents?
• Attempts to renovate your childhood room.

Childhood Christmas Memories Topics

Christmas is the favorite holiday of many children. Were you one of them? Choose your essay title from this list on Christmas memories:

Get an originally-written paper according to your instructions!

• What is the best Christmas present from your childhood? Describe the present, the wrapping, and your emotions related to it. Why did you want it so much? You can also try to remember where this present is now.
• Describe a family Christmas trip that you enjoyed the most as a child. Answer the following questions. What were the new places you have seen? What were the new people you met? How much time did you spend there? Did you feel homesick? What did you feel when you returned home?
• What was your favorite pastime during the Christmas holidays in childhood? For example, you can write about watching cartoons or playing with your siblings. Or maybe you enjoyed winter sports and walking with your friends.
• Was Christmas your favorite holiday in childhood? Explain why or why not. Create a list of the things that you did and didn’t enjoy. You can also compare Christmas with other holidays. Find several arguments to defend your opinion.
• Describe the best Christmas present you gave somebody in childhood . It can be something you made yourself or bought. Explain why you chose this gift and what was the recipient’s reaction. What did you want to show with this present? Was it your idea to give it? How did you choose it? Answer these questions in your essay.
• What are your favorite Christmas memories ? You have a wide choice here. You can describe family get-togethers, receiving or giving presents, eating sweets, or having fun while resting from school.
• Describe your favorite childhood Christmas photo . Explain why it is so valuable to you. Define the people or objects in the picture. Try to remember who took it and what camera was they used. Also, provide some information about the time and place.
• Write about your family’s Christmas traditions .
• Describe your favorite Christmas decorations in childhood.
• When was the time you stopped believing in Santa Claus?
• What was your favorite Christmas movie in childhood?
• Write about the Christmas dishes did you enjoy the most as a child.
• What was your favorite Christmas TV special ?
• What were your favorite Christmas songs when you were little?
• Describe the perfect Christmas Eve of your childhood.
• Tell about the friends you liked to invite to your Christmas parties.

These recollections can form a great foundation for your essay. Because childhood is often the best time in a person’s life, writing essays on your childhood experiences can be a real pleasure. If you try to be creative and choose a unique topic, you are sure to succeed in writing an impressive essay.

✍️ “My Childhood Memories” Essay Writing Guide

Writing about your childhood is an exciting assignment that has some peculiarities. Let’s explore some of them.

Childhood Memories Essay: Dos and Don’ts

Your main task is to make the reader feel like they’ve experienced the memory you described. There are certain elements that you can include in your essay to make it stand out. Similarly, some things are better to avoid.

Keep these things in mind, and you will surely write a perfect composition.

Childhood Memories Essay: Step by Step

Follow these steps of the essay writing process, and you will see that writing a good essay on your childhood memories is not as challenging as it may seem.

Narrative Essay on Childhood Memories: Outline

Every essay must have a proper structure. That’s why it’s useful to make a short outline before you start writing. It will keep you from losing your way as you write your essay. It also saves you time! If you have a plan, you won’t miss any important points in your essay.

Your paper should include:

After you’ve finished writing, revise and edit your essay . Make sure your paragraphs are written in a logical order. Read your essay aloud so that you can see how it flows and determine where you need to improve it.

Try our memory-activating prompts and follow these writing tips to compose your perfect childhood memories essay! If you’re not sure that you can write a good paper on your own, you can always ask our experts to help you out.

Further reading:

• School Days Essay: How to Describe a Memorable Event
• Growing Up Essay: Great Ideas for Your College Assignment
• Writing Essay about Someone Who has Made an Impact on Your Life
• Excellent Remembering a Person Essay: Free Writing Guidelines
• Life Experience Essay: How to Write a Brilliant Paper

🔗 References

• The Fate of Childhood Memories: Children Postdated Their Earliest Memories as They Grew Older
• Can You Trust Your Earliest Childhood Memories?: BBC
• How to Start Writing Your Own Childhood Memories for Posterity: HobbyLark
• 650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing: The New York Times
• Bright Side Readers Shared 14 Childhood Stories and We Plunged Into Their Memories Together: Brightside
• Great Questions: StoryCorps
• Introductions and Conclusions: University of Toronto
• Make a List: Childhood Memories: Practical Parenting
• Tips to Retrieve Old Memories: Harvard University
• Make the Most of Your Memory: 10 Tips for Writing About Your Life: Writer’s Digest
• Childhood Christmas Memories: DNA Explained
• What Do Your Earliest Childhood Memories Say about You?: The Conversation
• Can’t Remember Your Childhood? What Might Be Going On: Healthline
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This is so helpful. I am very happy now, thank you so much😁.

This is soooo helpful, thank you!

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Very helpful. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Hizia!

It was exactly what I was looking for, thank you

I had to write If you had a time machine where would you go and what would you do and who do you talk to? So I wanted to write about childhood But I couldn’t find that I wanted

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Personal Memories and Nostalgia

Reviewed by Psychology Today Staff

When an individual reflects on who she is, she may think about the characteristic ways she behaves, her career, her closest relationships and what they mean to her, and her goals and motivations. All of these elements of her psychological self-portrait have roots in the past. They are grounded in the memories of past decisions and reactions, setbacks and accomplishments, moments of love or inspiration, and more.

Memory allows us to know ourselves—to develop a sense of who we are, what our lives are like, and why—based on facts and impressions gathered throughout our lives to date. It is fundamental to a rich sense of self that stretches back to our first years and forward into the future.

On This Page

• Autobiographical Memory
• Early Memories
• Emotional Memories and Nostalgia

Autobiographical memory is a broad category of memories related to a person’s own life. This complex body of information can range from basic details about one’s past to vivid impressions of significant personal experiences. Together, they form a person’s internal life story.

Autobiographical memory includes memories of specific, personally experienced events, such as meeting a friend on the first day of high school, as well as experiences on a more general level (going to parties in high school). It also includes straightforward factual details about one’s life—such as what school one went to, and when—and other memories about oneself in the past, like how one tended to behave as a teenager. 

The collection of memories about one’s life allows for the development and refinement of a sense of self , including who one is, how one has changed, and what one might be like in the future. It allows a person to identify connections between personally relevant events across time (and between those events and one’s sense of self), but also significant changes—all of which can be sources of meaning. The life stories people develop based on autobiographical memory also become a way to communicate who they are to others.

Autobiographical memory, in the sense of memories woven together into a life story, appears to emerge during the preschool years and develop through childhood. Children become increasingly able to organize memories in terms of when they were formed and how they relate to each other. In adolescence, research suggests, they become able to describe how their memories (of how they behaved in a past situation, for example) connect to their own personalities. While autobiographical memory draws heavily on personal experience, it is also fed and influenced by social interactions with parents, friends, and others. 

Episodic memories, which are memories of personally experienced events, form an important part of autobiographical memory. But autobiographical memory also includes other kinds of memory about one’s life, such as the memory of one’s name, birth date, and countless other factual details, and memories of the personal past that are not tied to a particular time and place.

While people often deliberately call up memories of their past experiences, they often pop into consciousness unexpectedly. In such instances, they are described by some experts as involuntary autobiographical memories (IAMs). IAMs may be triggered by a sensory cue, such as a distinctive smell, sound, or image, that one associates with a past experience.

While most people don’t remember much from the first years of childhood, the memories that remain can be vivid and personally meaningful. These earliest long-term memories, which often date back to the preschool years, help make up the beginning of our autobiographical memory. Yet well before these lasting memories are formed, babies' brains retain information learn from the world around them.

The fourth year of life (specifically ages 3 to 3-and-a-half) is the window to which which adults trace their earliest memories, research suggests—though there is some evidence that people tend to misdate these memories and that they may actually be formed somewhat earlier. There is variation between individuals: Some people claim first memories from age 2, while others’ earliest memories are from later in childhood. The average age of earliest memories may also vary somewhat across cultures. The relative lack of memories from early childhood is called childhood amnesia or infantile amnesia.

The earliest memories that people recall can be about a range of experiences, from playing with friends, to negative events, such as the memory of an early accident. First memories are often based on emotional experiences. Early memories that are connected to a specific time and place and have a clear theme may also be more likely to be retained.

Memory begins in the first year of life, though memories seem to be relatively time-limited until the end of the second year. Infants show recognition of familiar images, for example, and the ability to remember and imitate simple physical actions, and the durability of these memories increases with age. By the end of the second year of life, research indicates, toddlers are able to remember learned actions after a delay of up to 12 months.

Emotion is a powerful force for sealing experiences into memory, and some of the most important parts of our life stories are memories of emotionally-intense experiences. Moments of ecstasy, awe, or tranquility may loom large in our library of personal memories, as do the times we felt unprecedented shock or fear. Remembering the past surfaces both positive and negative feelings—and nostalgia, the longing for a fondly remembered past, can involve a blend of both.

Many memories of past experiences include potent impressions of the fear, anger, sadness, excitement, joy, or other emotions a person felt at the time. Emotional experiences generally seem more likely to be remembered and may constitute important parts of one’s autobiographical memory. The “emotional enhancement” of memory may have evolved in part because it helps to preserve information that is useful for future behavior (for instance, knowing that a particular person or thing poses a threat and should be avoided).

Nostalgia is a longing for the past , an experience often described as bittersweet. People may experience nostalgia when they think back to a carefree moment in youth, a fondly remembered relationship that ended, the beginning of a career or other endeavor, or any other experience or time period that seem to positively contrast with the present in some way.

Whether nostalgia is beneficial, and to what extent, has been debated. Some psychologists have argued that nostalgia can have positive effects such as boosting mood and a sense of optimism, and that it can help people cope with loneliness and other aversive experiences. Yet recent research suggests that in day-to-day life, spontaneous instances of nostalgia may not tend to make people feel better. The emotional impact of nostalgia might depend on the way in which one thinks about the past .

Particular smells or tastes, songs from the past, objects, times of year, feelings, and many other kinds of cues can whisk someone away into nostalgic reminiscence. People may be more likely to experience nostalgia when they are in a relatively low mood, as well as when they are with loved ones or while using social media, contexts which may provide many of the above-mentioned cues.

Flashbulb memories are based on emotionally stirring personal experiences of distinctive events, such as national tragedies. Personal memories of these shocking events often remain vivid long after they are created and may stand out as landmarks in one’s autobiographical memory.

Without thinking, we often punish fear in small ways—by scolding, humiliating, or trivializing. Instead, teach fear management gradually and methodically in people and animals.

Research shows that even our closest primate relatives struggle to learn sequences. Could sequential memory differentiate us from the rest of the animal world?

Would you like to improve recall, emotional control, and productivity? Learn how to think about working memory differently and apply four key strategies for improving it.

For those burdened by their past, relief can be found not in the science of memory but in the recognition of our ability to shape the very nature of our personal histories.

Working memory, the gateway to all learning, is vulnerable and under assault like never before—but we can protect it.

The saying goes, “Familiarity breeds contempt.” At a minimum, it breeds malaise. Fight the tendency to become unresponsive to the familiar so you can fully experience emotion.

As our understanding of animal intelligence deepens, society faces ethical dilemmas regarding the treatment and rights of even the simplest non-human animals.

Stroke patients with visual area damage claim blindness to images projected there, yet they can detect some features. Others may have a similar ability to see what they don’t see.

Finding forgotten items by going back into the same rooms and retracing all your steps using brain networks may help with memory retrieval in Alzheimer's.

Why are some things remembered easily, and others only with difficulty and delay? And why do some memories intrude into consciousness when we’re not looking for them?

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The Supreme Court Got It Wrong: Abortion Is Not Settled Law

By Melissa Murray and Kate Shaw

Ms. Murray is a law professor at New York University. Ms. Shaw is a contributing Opinion writer.

In his majority opinion in the case overturning Roe v. Wade, Justice Samuel Alito insisted that the high court was finally settling the vexed abortion debate by returning the “authority to regulate abortion” to the “people and their elected representatives.”

Despite these assurances, less than two years after Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, abortion is back at the Supreme Court. In the next month, the justices will hear arguments in two high-stakes cases that may shape the future of access to medication abortion and to lifesaving care for pregnancy emergencies. These cases make clear that Dobbs did not settle the question of abortion in America — instead, it generated a new slate of questions. One of those questions involves the interaction of existing legal rules with the concept of fetal personhood — the view, held by many in the anti-abortion movement, that a fetus is a person entitled to the same rights and protections as any other person.

The first case , scheduled for argument on Tuesday, F.D.A. v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, is a challenge to the Food and Drug Administration’s protocols for approving and regulating mifepristone, one of the two drugs used for medication abortions. An anti-abortion physicians’ group argues that the F.D.A. acted unlawfully when it relaxed existing restrictions on the use and distribution of mifepristone in 2016 and 2021. In 2016, the agency implemented changes that allowed the use of mifepristone up to 10 weeks of pregnancy, rather than seven; reduced the number of required in-person visits for dispensing the drug from three to one; and allowed the drug to be prescribed by individuals like nurse practitioners. In 2021, it eliminated the in-person visit requirement, clearing the way for the drug to be dispensed by mail. The physicians’ group has urged the court to throw out those regulations and reinstate the previous, more restrictive regulations surrounding the drug — a ruling that could affect access to the drug in every state, regardless of the state’s abortion politics.

The second case, scheduled for argument on April 24, involves the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (known by doctors and health policymakers as EMTALA ), which requires federally funded hospitals to provide patients, including pregnant patients, with stabilizing care or transfer to a hospital that can provide such care. At issue is the law’s interaction with state laws that severely restrict abortion, like an Idaho law that bans abortion except in cases of rape or incest and circumstances where abortion is “necessary to prevent the death of the pregnant woman.”

Although the Idaho law limits the provision of abortion care to circumstances where death is imminent, the federal government argues that under EMTALA and basic principles of federal supremacy, pregnant patients experiencing emergencies at federally funded hospitals in Idaho are entitled to abortion care, even if they are not in danger of imminent death.

These cases may be framed in the technical jargon of administrative law and federal pre-emption doctrine, but both cases involve incredibly high-stakes issues for the lives and health of pregnant persons — and offer the court an opportunity to shape the landscape of abortion access in the post-Roe era.

These two cases may also give the court a chance to seed new ground for fetal personhood. Woven throughout both cases are arguments that gesture toward the view that a fetus is a person.

If that is the case, the legal rules that would typically hold sway in these cases might not apply. If these questions must account for the rights and entitlements of the fetus, the entire calculus is upended.

In this new scenario, the issue is not simply whether EMTALA’s protections for pregnant patients pre-empt Idaho’s abortion ban, but rather which set of interests — the patient’s or the fetus’s — should be prioritized in the contest between state and federal law. Likewise, the analysis of F.D.A. regulatory protocols is entirely different if one of the arguments is that the drug to be regulated may be used to end a life.

Neither case presents the justices with a clear opportunity to endorse the notion of fetal personhood — but such claims are lurking beneath the surface. The Idaho abortion ban is called the Defense of Life Act, and in its first bill introduced in 2024, the Idaho Legislature proposed replacing the term “fetus” with “preborn child” in existing Idaho law. In its briefs before the court, Idaho continues to beat the drum of fetal personhood, insisting that EMTALA protects the unborn — rather than pregnant women who need abortions during health emergencies.

According to the state, nothing in EMTALA imposes an obligation to provide stabilizing abortion care for pregnant women. Rather, the law “actually requires stabilizing treatment for the unborn children of pregnant women.” In the mifepristone case, advocates referred to fetuses as “unborn children,” while the district judge in Texas who invalidated F.D.A. approval of the drug described it as one that “starves the unborn human until death.”

Fetal personhood language is in ascent throughout the country. In a recent decision , the Alabama Supreme Court allowed a wrongful-death suit for the destruction of frozen embryos intended for in vitro fertilization, or I.V.F. — embryos that the court characterized as “extrauterine children.”

Less discussed but as worrisome is a recent oral argument at the Florida Supreme Court concerning a proposed ballot initiative intended to enshrine a right to reproductive freedom in the state’s Constitution. In considering the proposed initiative, the chief justice of the state Supreme Court repeatedly peppered Nathan Forrester, the senior deputy solicitor general who was representing the state, with questions about whether the state recognized the fetus as a person under the Florida Constitution. The point was plain: If the fetus was a person, then the proposed ballot initiative, and its protections for reproductive rights, would change the fetus’s rights under the law, raising constitutional questions.

As these cases make clear, the drive toward fetal personhood goes beyond simply recasting abortion as homicide. If the fetus is a person, any act that involves reproduction may implicate fetal rights. Fetal personhood thus has strong potential to raise questions about access to abortion, contraception and various forms of assisted reproductive technology, including I.V.F.

In response to the shifting landscape of reproductive rights, President Biden has pledged to “restore Roe v. Wade as the law of the land.” Roe and its successor, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, were far from perfect; they afforded states significant leeway to impose onerous restrictions on abortion, making meaningful access an empty promise for many women and families of limited means. But the two decisions reflected a constitutional vision that, at least in theory, protected the liberty to make certain intimate choices — including choices surrounding if, when and how to become a parent.

Under the logic of Roe and Casey, the enforceability of EMTALA, the F.D.A.’s power to regulate mifepristone and access to I.V.F. weren’t in question. But in the post-Dobbs landscape, all bets are off. We no longer live in a world in which a shared conception of constitutional liberty makes a ban on I.V.F. or certain forms of contraception beyond the pale.

Melissa Murray, a law professor at New York University and a host of the Supreme Court podcast “ Strict Scrutiny ,” is a co-author of “ The Trump Indictments : The Historic Charging Documents With Commentary.”

Kate Shaw is a contributing Opinion writer, a professor of law at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School and a host of the Supreme Court podcast “Strict Scrutiny.” She served as a law clerk to Justice John Paul Stevens and Judge Richard Posner.

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Wonder of the Day #2209

Do You Have a Good Memory?

SCIENCE — Health and Fitness

Have You Ever Wondered...

• Do you have a good memory?

What does HSAM stand for?

• How many people in the world have HSAM?
• Human Body ,
• Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory ,
• Jill Price ,
• Dr. James Mcgaugh ,
• Professor ,
• Neurobiology ,
• University Of California ,
• Hyperthymesia ,
• Photographic Memory ,
• Alzheimer’S Disease ,
• Memory Loss

Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by Owen. Owen Wonders , “ How does memory work? ” Thanks for WONDERing with us, Owen!

When you look back over the best times of your life, what memories come to mind? The birth of a little brother or sister? That Christmas when you got a new bicycle? An amazing family vacation to the Grand Canyon ?

Memories are important. We're lucky that our brains can hold so many important memories, so that we can retrieve them and relive special moments from the past .

Not all memories are created equal , though. Have you noticed that? Has anyone ever asked, "Do you remember…?" But no matter how hard you try, you simply can't remember . That's OK. It happens to all of us from time to time.

For an extremely rare set of people, remembering the details of every single day from the past is as easy as remembering what happened yesterday for the rest of us. How can they do this? Scientists call it highly superior autobiographical memory or HSAM.

The study of HSAM began in 2000 when Jill Price (the first person ever to be diagnosed with HSAM) contacted Dr. James McGaugh, a professor of neurobiology and behavior at the University of California, Irvine, for help with her memory struggles .

Rather than always forgetting things, Price had the opposite problem: she couldn't forget things. Whenever someone mentioned a date, she could remember what day of the week it was, where she was, and what she did that day.

While some people might wish that they could go back in time more easily to remember past events, Price found it burdensome to be constantly remembering past events over and over again.

In 2006, after years of research and countless memory tests, McGaugh concluded Price (and a few others he had identified over the years) had a condition he originally called hyperthymesia and later changed to HSAM.

HSAM is not like having a photographic memory . People with HSAM are no better than others at remembering faces, phone numbers, or events and details that don't relate to them personally. Their superior ability to recall is limited to details of autobiographical events (events important to them personally).

To date, fewer than 100 people around the world have been diagnosed with HSAM. This makes the condition extremely rare and thus difficult for scientists to study in depth.

MRI tests have revealed some basic structural differences in the brains of those with HSAM. Currently, however, scientists don't know whether these differences are the cause of HSAM or the result of it.

Scientists hope that further testing will help them identify how people with HSAM store and retrieve memories. Understanding HSAM in greater depth may one day lead to more effective treatments for conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease , dementia, and memory loss.

Wonder What's Next?

Tomorrow’s Wonder of the Day is chock full of wild animals!

Are you ready to work on your memory? Be sure to explore the following activities with a friend or family member:

• Take a trip down memory lane with friends and family members. Grab some old photo albums and flip through them together. What fun times are you reminded of? Look closely at the photos. Do you have just a general recollection of the events in the photos? Or can you remember them vividly? Do you think it's important to take photos of important events? Why or why not?
• Want to put your memory to the test? Visit the National Geographic Kids site to play a variety of Memory Games . Challenge your friends and family members to beat your best score!
• If you could choose to have HSAM, would you want to be able to remember everything in great detail? What would the pros and cons of having HSAM be? Make a list of the positive and negative aspects of never forgetting anything. Do you think the positive aspects outweigh the negative ones? Why or why not?

Wonder Sources

• https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/feb/08/total-recall-the-people-who-never-forget
• http://time.com/5045521/highly-superior-autobiographical-memory-hsam/
• http://www.cnlm.uci.edu/hsam/
• http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160125-the-blessing-and-curse-of-the-people-who-never-forget

Did you get it?

Wonder contributors.

We’d like to thank:

Cora for contributing questions about today’s Wonder topic!

Keep WONDERing with us!

Wonder Words

• neurobiology

Lots of people want to go back in time, Connor. We don't have that technology, yet. 

ClassroomCupcake88

That's right, joshua! Very few people have highly superior autobiographical memory (HSAM) or photographic memories!

Hi, Joshua! Thanks for commenting! If you remember events from the past, that is because of your memory! Some memories are stronger than others, though.  Thanks for WONDERing with us!

I Dont Know IF I had good memory or not xD my hair brown :my freind josh: why did u say that lol:

That's OK, Cardyn! Very few people have photographic memories or highly superior autobiographical memory (HSAM).  Thanks for being our Wonder Friends, Cardyn and josh!

We love that nickname!! Do you think you have HSAM or a photographic memory?

I have a photographic memory and are the 1% that does. I am pretty sure I have HSAM.

lol my best memory is when i wrote on my couch

? We'll bet your parents remember that, too. 

That is an excellent question, brecken! We hope that you take a Wonder Journey to learn more about HSAM! Let us know what else you discover!

Wonder Friend

I know a YouTube series, Life Noggin, that did a video about this topic, so it's kind of cool now that you guys did a wonderopolis on this.

We think it's WONDERful that you are having fun learning and WONDERing! We're excited that you found a topic you are really interested in! Thanks for being our Wonder Friend! 

Very true, Wonder Friend! 

Hi, Annmarie! HSAM stands for highly superior autobiographical memory, and people who have HSAM can very easily remember  details  of every single day from the  past like it was yesterday.   If you can remember the past in great detail, you might have HSAM.  Thanks for WONDERing with us!

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Related Wonders for You to Explore

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Question 1 of 3

• a highly superior autobiographical memory Correct!
• b highly selective automatic memory Not Quite!
• c hugely semantic autonomic memory Not Quite!
• d helpful sometimes automated memory Not Quite!

Question 2 of 3

Who was the first person diagnosed with HSAM?

• a Benjamin Franklin Not Quite!
• b Jill Price Correct!
• c Stephen Hawking Not Quite!
• d James McGaugh Not Quite!

Question 3 of 3

To date, fewer than how many people have been diagnosed with HSAM?

• a 5 Not Quite!
• b 25 Not Quite!
• c 60 Not Quite!
• d 100 Correct!

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