MIAMI -- University of Miami graduate student Nelson Dellis set a national record at the U.S. Memory Championship by remembering the first 178 digits of a randomly generated 500-digit number, WPLG-TV in Miami reported.

He only had five minutes to study it.

"I put them into a story of pictures that include former teachers, girlfriend, famous actors," Dellis said. "Anybody can learn this, so I took it upon myself to learn it."

A reporter wrote 60 numbers on a blackboard, and Dellis was ready to recite them after looking over them for just a few minutes. He did it backward, too. Dellis also looked through a deck of cards one time, and he didn’t leave out a single card in reciting it.

Dellis also looked at photos of six people who work at the station to see if he could remember their names. He passed the test with flying colors.

Dellis said the skills are useful in and out of the classroom.

"Using the technique for names is super useful, especially when you're at an event or at a party," Dellis said.

Dellis' grandmother passed away from Alzheimer's disease last year. In order to raise awareness of the disease, he plans on climbing Mount Everest next year.

In August, he will compete in the World Memory Championship in China.