Is it normal to forget concepts soon after exams? Why does it happen?

General
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Have you ever walked out of an exam hall confidently and weeks later realize that you don’t remember what you had learned? If this has happened to you, you are not alone. Most of the students experience this. They can answer the exam questions, but when the same questions are asked again, they fail to answer. Why does this happen?

Forgetting is a natural process. Our brain cannot store everything that we read. It stores only important and repeated stuff.

Lets understand the science behind this.

Short term memory vs long term memory

Short term memory - When we mug up things or study a topic last minute without conceptual understanding, it remains in our brain only for short term. It lasts hours to days.

Long term memory – This include knowledge that is gained through proper understanding, revised frequently and learned with real life examples.

The forgetting curve

Psychologist, Hermann Ebbinghaus, in 1800 discovered the forgetting curve, which explains why students forget after exams.

According to him,

After 1 day, we forget 50% of the new information

After 1 week, we forget 80% of new information

After 1 month, we forget 90% of new information

How to retain what you have studied?

The only way is by repeated revisions of the same topic at periodic intervals. This is called Spaced repetition. Spaced repetition converts short term memory into long term memory. When a topic is not revisited, our brain considers it unimportant and deletes it over time.

Apart from Spaced retention, Active recall is also beneficial. Instead of rereading the same topic again, try to recollect the information that you have learned. This technique strengthens the memory pathways and makes it easier to recollect in the future.

Final thoughts

Forgetting is a natural process, but with timely repetition and conceptual understanding, we can retain what we have learned for a longer time.

Which technique did you prefer?

MBH/PS

2 Likes
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forgetting is normal but selective remembrance is what our brain does..if its related to hurt or pleasure…and for examination most of us have goal to pass not learn and imbibe that

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I prefer starting with understanding concepts deeply, then using spaced repetition to reinforce memory over time.

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continuous writing and practising instead of typing it..because writing increases brain memory

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I prefer spaced repetition because revisiting topics periodically helps move information from short-term to long-term memory. Combining it with active recall makes learning even more effective and lasting.

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Active recall works the best for me

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Forgetting after exams is normal because our brain doesn’t keep everything we read. If we only memorize at the last minute, it stays in short-term memory and fades quickly. Long-term memory comes when we understand, revise often, and connect ideas to real life. The forgetting curve shows how fast we lose new information unless we review it. Spaced repetition and active recall are smart methods to make learning last longer. With these, knowledge becomes easier to remember in the future.