Plan to go through the course material multiple times before the test, at different depths. strengthening understanding with revisits. Schedule your campaign. Get prepped with all necessary distractions done ahead of time (beverage, chair, lighting, warm-enough / cool-enough, made all the txts and calls needed, visited to the porcelain convenience).
+1 outline, and +1 remaking/refining/expanding/rewriting the outline continuously as your survey progresses. Using the outline, go over your class notes and official course media and hang what you get out of them on the outline. Figure out what’s the toughest concept among those you know are important in the course.
Make sure your outline has that in mind somewhere. Master that topic as early on as possible.
If you’re in technical, mathematics, sciences… understanding your methods is key.
Know what each tool/method/formula is good for and how to recognize the need or opportunity to apply it.
Repetition with the problem sets can drill in how it gets applied.
A lot of these methods have clearly been applied around us in stuff people make – keeping an eye around for things manufactured or built with the toolkit you’re learning.
For languages you just have to know the words, vocabulary.
Make flashcards and drill endlessly.
Drill with your conjugations and irregulars.
Speak it as much as your environment will tolerate while you’re studying.