Issues with Studying and Exams

If this is the wrong subreddit to post to, then feel free to delete this.

I am currently taking Calculus I and getting absolutely destroyed on exams. I am not bad at math, but I am certainly not good at it either. I have attempted to consult my instructor and I recognize that he is trying his best to be helpful. There are a litany of problems I am having right now in regards to my studies and reviews.

1. Practice Tests: I understand the point of them is to give a general idea on what one can expect in terms of materials covered in the class itself. The issue is that I will work these practice tests to completion multiple times and the question on the actual exam is absolutely nothing like it. Which results in me getting absolutely nothing done and a zero.

2. Homework/Review: The intention of homework is to strengthen one's understanding of the material by offering an incentive to actually practice. I understand this and WANT to be able to do my homework well. But a vast majority of the time it is me just thrashing and hoping that whatever hair brained idea I have works. Wasting sometimes hours at a time on a single question that I still have no answer for.

3. Working Practice Problems: I simply cannot do them. I do not know where to start, I don't know how to tell if I am doing things correctly or if my train of thought is even remotely right. ninety percent of the time I just use pattern recognition to remember answers and put them in if a question repeats or I use the example provided and substitute my own question and it's relevant parts. Which I acknowledge is not in any meaningful capacity learning the material.

I desperately want to learn how to learn math, I don't enjoy being blown out of the water on my exams. But I have no idea what to do. The tutoring center is filled with unhelpful people who have serious attitude problems. Furthermore I cannot rely on office hours with my instructor as they are not consistent. I feel like I'm running uphill on glass barefoot with no end. Anything that helps resolve these issues would be immensely helpful.