Science, science, science

It's funny that I'm going back to school to become a dietitian in that I am terrible at science. By that I mean that when it comes to dealing directly with "hard" science, I find myself hitting a wall. I come across a lot of terminology that I need to recall both for the short-term and for the long-term. How do I do that?

Looking over how I remembered certain things in the past, it seems that I bring up certain memories more readily when I make many and varied associations with that one particular memory (probably why I sometimes have a difficult time speaking about a subject I'm good at) and also when I don't learn the subject under duress or great stress. If I enjoy learning about something like the general history of classical music prior to the late 19th century, then I can remember more of it when I *want* to learn it. So it seems I need to follow Proust's advice: "We do not succeed in changing things according to our desire, but gradually our desire changes" (via Sandman Mystery Theatre).