I cannot repeat the material for each person who misses. Participate fully and ask pertinent questions . Make the most of the time you spend in class. Many classes use small group activities and discussions to reinforce material. You should take full advantage of those opportunities, rather than seeing it as a break.
Discussion is a crucial tool solidifying the material and thinking beyond a cursory level.
Sometimes rote memorization is helpful . Although I rarely will ask you questions that simply test your memorization of facts, getting some of these concepts down is often the first step toward true mastery, maybe more in other professors' classes. Go through the readings and your notes simultaneously . Getting information from two voices is an excellent way to expand your understanding of the material. Comparing these two sources and taking further notes as you do so will help you to fill in the gaps in your notes and allow you to get information from different voices.