Honing your memory is a challenging but worthwhile past time. Although the internet makes it easy to look up any particular factoid you might need with a little typing and clicking, it's still rather useful to be able to have a great deal of knowledge on call in your own noggin. Most people only choose to work on their memory so long as it's useful for them to get by their school exams, but it's also quite useful in other areas of life. People appreciate it if you remember their names and preferences. A good memory often impresses people, and will help them remember you in turn for your quality.

Verbal mnemonics are some of the easiest to use and most effective techniques for remembering something. The phrases that you invent don't have to make much sense. They just have to be catchy and memorable. They work because the brain latches on to things in association to others - by creating an association, even a nonsensical one, you are helping the brain to grip onto the fact and keep it stuck there.

Repetition also helps, but only to a certain degree. Repeat it enough that you think you're comfortable with holding on to the piece of knowledge. Then, go back to it later, whether it's an hour, day or week afterward. This helps to ensure that it remains current in your memory. Using these techniques, you'll find that you're able to memorize a great deal more than you thought you might otherwise. As you get accustomed to memorizing things, you'll get better at doing it on the fly. Most importantly, pay attention - stay in the moment. You'll absorb more information that way.