Maybe Instead of trying to memorize answers to exam questions, take some time to understand what is being presented to you. Examine, digest, and internalize the knowledge so it can be distilled into real understanding of the fundimental abstract concepts being conveyed.

Its like the difference between skimming through a paragraph to track down one piece of information vs being invested in reading through the chapter in totality to appreciate the plot of a good story. One might get you a passing grade on this weeks exam in a pinch and let you get back to partying, the other let’s the core of the knowledge live in you forever or atleast long after school is over and your neurons start weakening with age.

Let the ideas and concepts roll around in your mind like a fine wine tasting. Examine them, play with them, see how they line up with your pre-existing understandings of smilar concepts and reality in general. Make up some toy model example scenarios, visualize with your minds eye, see if its similar to a related concept you’re already familiar with. Think about the concepts and the abstractions and how they logically lead to exam solutions.

Then when you’re tired of thinking and visualizing to the point your brain actually aches from the workout, rest. Play a game, watch some entertainment, have fun, get a good sleep and let your subconscious internalize all that knowledge. Allow your neurons to rearrange themselves to better model new patterns of information.