Okay, so I’ve been meaning to brush up on my geography, and I figured a fun way to do it would be to really nail down those Middle Eastern country capitals. I mean, I know some of them, but I wanted to be able to rattle them off without even thinking. So, here’s how I went about it.
Getting Started
First, I grabbed a piece of paper and a pen – yeah, old school, I know. I just find it easier to remember things when I physically write them down. Then I listed out all the Middle Eastern countries I could think of, just off the top of my head. I think I got most of them, but I definitely missed a few.
Filling in the Gaps
Next, I went online and found a reliable list of all the countries in the Middle East. Turns out there were a couple I’d completely forgotten about! So, I added those to my list. This is where having a complete list to start with is super helpful.
Matching Capitals
Now for the real work. I started matching the capitals to the countries. Some were easy – like, everyone knows Jerusalem is… well, you know. Others, I had to really think, or I just plain didn’t know.
For the ones I was unsure about I have to search it up online and make sure, my rule is to search for it and if I can remember for the next round I can keep it, otherwise I have to search and try remember it again.
Testing Myself
Once I’d gone through the whole list and filled in all the capitals (with a little help), I started testing myself. I covered up the capitals column and tried to recall them just from the country name. Then I switched it around – covered the country names and tried to name the country based on the capital.
Repetition, Repetition, Repetition
I kept doing this over and over. It was kind of like using flashcards, but I find writing it out helps me more. It’s all about repetition, really. The more I practiced, the quicker I got, and the fewer I had to look up.
After maybe an hour or so of doing this on and off, I felt pretty good! I could go through the whole list without peeking (much!). It’s not perfect, and I’ll probably forget some again in a few days, but it’s way better than before. I’ll probably keep practicing this every now and then just to keep it fresh in my mind.
So yeah, that’s how I tackled learning the Middle Eastern capitals. It’s not rocket science, just good old-fashioned studying and repetition. Give it a try if you’re looking to improve your geography skills!
