you'll be expecting to hear certain things and able to hear them
Exactly that. Once I realised it wasn't just random conversation I was fine. It's all in a set order, you just have to learn the order which isn't a big deal; you also expect to be spoken to in a certain order so that clearance that wasn't so clear becomes clearer because you are expecting to hear a certain thing. If you pick up most of the words you are fine, your brain fills in the rest.
eg 'Golf Alpha Br.vo cl... cros. ..ntolle.. a..spa.e not ab... 3,000 fe..'
Becomes 'Golf Alpha Bravo clear to cross controlled airspace not above 3,000 feet.' Because that's what you are expecting.