WTF, I can't think anymore!?!

OK, I dropped the ball, I didn't post yesterday. Mainly cause my brain is hurting from attempting to shove too much information into it at once. I mean seriously, I get the concept of finals, I get that one is supposed to synthesize the information that they have learned over the quarter or semester. In many ways the process of studying can bring it together, but is pure regurgitation really the way to show off what you have learned? For the past two quarters I have felt that at the end, my test was just about my attempting to throw up all of the things in my head into one of those dreaded blue books (yes, I live in a world of essay tests). Additionally, my classes are invariably always rear loaded, where everything comes at the end. I mean for gods sake, I had a presentation yesterday, a final this morning, and a presentation on Monday. And that is just for two classes. Is this push at the end really conducive to the learning process? Or does it cause a situation where you learn what you can, shove it into short term memory, and then promptly forget it when you are done?