Started prep using just Trailhead and free YouTube videos, but a few weeks in I realized I wasn't retaining much, too passive. Switched to Study4Exam for the last stretch and that's when things actually clicked. Their practice questions forced me to actively recall instead of just watching content go by.
Focused mainly on flows and automation logic since that's where I kept slipping in practice tests, and left the basics (org setup, user management) for a quick review since I already knew that from daily work. Passed comfortably. If you're stuck in passive-learning mode like I was, switching to something that tests you directly might be the push you need.