Maybe you can increase your basic knowledge of the topic. The more you increase your background knowledge the easier it is to build new knowledge on top. Once you have some background, involve your ego. Perhaps nothing beyond making the grade, but even that is relevant. Bring a positive intention to remember , not just reluctant memorization.
Every class has more material than the professor can ever finish.
Distinguishing between volumes of chatter and the actual questions that will end up on the exam is the key. This takes familiarity with the material. To find out the key ingredients to chili, you have to make chili a few times. Dude, this chili is bland. Man, that was a brick.