A Guide to Remember

A college age reader who is wrestling with adapting life, epilepsy, migraines, the universe and everything shared the frustrations of losing your memory.

I've written a lot about memory in the last week. I can't seem to hold information at my usual capacity. This is partially due to being overextended (Apartments available! Albany All Stars debut roller derby bout! Work!), but also hardware damage. It is immensely irritating.

Fortunately, my OCD tendencies are kickin' in and battling Team ADD and CRS.* Here are the weapons in my arsenal that may or may not help others with the forgetting. Some are tailored to students based on my experiences from law school when the aura seizures tag teamed with the basic curriculum requirements to create a formidable opponent.

1. Make To Do lists and recopy them every few days. My is usually at 50+ items (because I'm involved in waaaay too many fun projects that contribute to my feelings of insanity). I highlight & star priorities for the day.

2. Audio tape your lectures or important meetings. Most universities allow this for students--especially if there is a learning barrier. You can download the audio files and have a record to help flesh out confusing bits of notes.

3. Have a few people to swap notes with in class. They'll hear things differently and if you give them your notes it won't appear that you're trying to slack off in the pay attention in class department.

4. Carry a small notebook--I write down EVERYTHING. Things to buy, phone numbers, names of new acquaintances and identifiers, tasks to do, promises made, etc.

5. Tell people you might forget and arrange reminders for important meeting or events. Usually they can be automated electronic messages.

6. Inform your support network so they can help you out. For example, if migraine symptoms pop up have 5-10 people who you mass text or email to spark them into action. They can agree to specific roles (i.e. pick up notes or materials from your classes, drive you to the hospital, check on pets, reschedule appointments, etc.). It gets stuff done so you can pick up life more easily post migraine or seizure.

Having had migraines all throughout high school and college and almost monthly seizures in law schools, it also helped me a lot to just inform people about the body rebellions. It made it less scary and offered a practical response over panic. I have become more candid and laissez faire about privacy when it comes to the epilepsy. That might not be within your comfort zone.
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*Can't Remember Sh*t