Notes. I always took notes and reread the material the night before, and perhaps a bit before the actual test. Then again, I've always been a compulsive list-maker and note-taker. I have to write it over and over until I feel it's exactly the 'right' way. Grocery lists alone take about three to four attempts.
Don't worry, I don't waste paper by just throwing it out after one sentence. I keep the lists that didn't make the cut and use them as doodle paper. Or if I was using pencil , I'll erase whatever I wrote on it and just re-use it for something else. Another attempt probably. lol