Plan. The best way to ensure you actually study is to create a plan. There are several ways to do this, but it’s most important to create a plan for when, where, and what to study. I suggest investing in a planner of some sort. This could be a physical premade planner, an empty journal, or an online planner. I like the website Notion, which allows you to create digital planners, trackers, note pages, and more. When you have an upcoming test, set your game plan by setting a time and place for studying that specific subject. This increases the likelihood of you actually committing to studying because you know exactly what you are going to do. 

Find your environment. One of the most important contributors to efficiency is the environment. Find a place you feel productive in to study. Sometimes, while your own bed sounds appealing, it is helpful to have an organized workspace outside of your lounging space. I personally go to coffee shops and libraries to study. 

Find your medium. Everyone has different learning styles, so everyone has different ways they study. Find what works for you by trying a variety of different methods (flash cards, note taking, videos, etc.) Make sure to do this in advance so when it comes down to it, you can make the best use of your time before a test!

Make it social. Sometimes, you feel more motivated to study when you do it with friends. Studying with someone in the same class is even more helpful as you are reviewing the same material. Make sure that you study with people who are going to keep you on task and not distract you. 

Consistency, not cramming. Every teacher will tell you to start studying well before the test, and as cliche as it sounds, this is the best way to optimize your studying. You will retain more information by studying 30 minutes every day for a week then by cramming for the hours the night before a test. Memory is reinforced by repetition, so often, no matter how long you cram, one singular study session won’t best prepare you.