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There are several different theories on how to study efficiently, what you are about to read is only one of them. I therefor advice you to not adhere blindly to any method you read or hear about but try out different methods in order to see which one fits you the best. Having said that, I want to emphasize that studying for an exam is not something you should think about the day before the exam, it's something that should of been on your mind well before the actual date.

Hence, I would recommend you to make a simple calendar starting somewhere about a month prior to the date of your exam. Then start dividing your material into different subjects and study one or two subjects every day depending on how busy you are that day, it could be anything from 30min to 3 hours. The important thing to note here is not really the amount of time you spend on studying per day, but that you actually do it every day! Also keep in mind the level of difficulty each course involves in order to apply the appropriate time each and every course needs. If you don't own a calendar then buy one, if you can't do that, then there are plenty of free ones on the net. The point I'm trying to make is; if you are not planning to succeed (on your exam), you are in fact planning for failure.

Be sure that your friends are people who motivate you to study, if they are lazy, there's a risk that this may have an impact on your results. Your study habits could be formed by the habits of your friends, so be as vigilant as possible. If you have friends that care about school, you'll most likely notice that you can study without getting distracted. I'm obviously not telling you to throw any one of your friends under the bus, that's your choice, but I do want to keep you alert on the dire consequences some friendships may lead to.

Also, remember that attentiveness in class is crucial for your understanding on the subject. Always try to listen as attentively as possible, this will be a great asset when your actually studying. It's a common thing that some teachers may playfully ' with or without them paying attention to it- hint subtly on what may appear or not appear on a test. Lend them your ears and take notes when ever such a possible hint may have been given. Some teachers have a specific style in how they form their tests, it could thus be helpful if you've seen any of their previous exams or if you could get a hold of one of the teachers previous students. Finally, I would like to remind you to take notes.

Take as many notes as possible, this is not to say that you should record anything you deem as invaluable but should rather be viewed as an exhortation to note as diligent as possible. If there's something you don't understand, make sure you ask the teacher (or anyone who could give you a good answer), what if this exact problem shows up on the test? Better be safe than sorry.