Help! How do I memorize useless information!?

<p>Biology AP is driving me crazy through its insistence on me memorizing useless information! I really don't understand how to memorize so many words in a few days! Writing them down 5 times don't really help much. I've run out of ideas on how to memorize these things word for word!</p>

<p>Let's say I have to memorize the following phylogenic tree:
[url=<a href="http://io.uwinnipeg.ca/%7Esimmons/16cm05/1116/16anim2.htm%5D16anim2%5B/url"&gt;http://io.uwinnipeg.ca/~simmons/16cm05/1116/16anim2.htm]16anim2[/url&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p>

<p>How do I do it?
Is there a specific way that you all use to memorize something? Any tips would be extremely helpful.</p>

<p>make a song. not a song song, just a pnuemonic (wc?). really just say the words but add a random beat. it doesn't even have to synch at all. like how you remember the simonsays electronic game or w/e.</p>

<p>i also like to count how many items/topics there are and just remember that number so i can know if i missed something.</p>

<ol>
<li>Flash cards</li>
<li>repeat</li>
<li>repeat again</li>
<li>go back to step 1 and continue</li>
</ol>

<p>read about them on wikipedia or something. when you have context for the animals they become more than just their names. it's the same reason it's easier to learn vocabulary when you see the words in a book or in a sentence than if you just memorize word lists.</p>

<p>fizix2: I actually did try that, but the words are really foreign to me. Also, for some reason, the names don't really stick to me. Words like platyhelminthes and phoronida don't endear themselves to me. </p>

<p>I really hate it when I think I know everything, but I completely forget the easiest terms. I guess there isn't a quick way to completely memorize something.</p>

<p>do you have some microphone on your computer. i have one built into my laptop and i downloaded audacity which creates recordings. i say all the stuff i have to memorize and then play it back to myself as i fall asleep and while i sleep. a lot of the time i dream about the stuff i have to know, its the most efficient way to study.</p>

<p>flashcards?</p>

<p>Basically, test yourself. Method is up to you. Flashcards may help. Making a quiz and print out several copies and do them until you get it perfect.</p>

<p>Anatomy class is basically all memorization and I can tell you from experience, studying 5-10 minutes before the test/quiz helps A LOT.</p>

<p>For memorizing words a song or use the first letter of each word to make a sentace.</p>