Tommy Collison

As a student, improving my memory has always been something I’ve been interested in. Even before S02 E02 of Sherlock, I’d been working on similar methods to try and learn off material for school.

The method used in Sherlock is a variant of the “method of loci” (a.k.a. the “link method” and “memory palace”), which is one I’ve been concentrating on too. It involves using a mental map of somewhere (your house or city) and attaching items to be memorized to already-familiar icons on your mental map.

Currently, I’m learning off some character details for Paul in the Irish short-film “Cáca Milis”. Here’s how:

Instead of using my house, I’m using the walk between our rented apartment in Minneapolis to my favorite bookstore/café downtown. While relearning to walk, I made the journey innumerable times. Refreshing myself of the specifics using Google Street View, I set about attaching my Irish to Nicollet Mall.

I begin my exiting the lift and taking a left along the tiled floors. There’s a middle-aged, blind receptionist behind the desk. (fear dall, meanaosta). I say hello, then take a right and exit the doors. Passing the flower arrangements, I take a left onto Marquette Avenue. The pavement is hugely cracked here — I think my expeditious transition from wheelchair to crutches was influenced by the bumpy sidewalk, so it sticks out in my memory. While here, I meet Rex, the dinosaur from Toy Story. He’s positive, trusting, talkative and friendly (gealgháireach, muiníneach, cainteach, cáirdiúil). Passing him, I hang a left at the intersection onto 13th Street. I’m at the parking garage for the apartments, with its big door that you’d try and sneak under if it was open, as a short-cut into the apartments themselves. The door is rough and abrupt, but there’s no malice in it (tá sé tuatach borb ach níl aon mailís ann). I take a right onto Nicollet Mall and pass the bus-stop, which gives free rides uptown at certain types of year. There’s a dog waiting on the bus, he’s got asthma and takes his inhaler out (asma; analóir). Up a block, I pass the church on the corner of 12th & Nicollet. The sign outside says that the sermon is innocent, and that the priest trusts you, and knows that you mean no badness in you (saonta; iontaobh; dochar).

Memory experts say that making it a little bizarre (the slightly-anthropomorphic garage door, Rex, the asthmatic dog) help things stand out in your memory more. As can be seen from the picture, I had a couple more landmarks I could’ve used, but I didn’t need them in this particular instance.

It’s a hugely effective memory technique — I learned that off in about 4 minutes. Closing your eyes and visualizing the specifics also helps to boost your powers of recollection.