Well for my opening preparation I use mainly the lichess database ( mainly the online since at our level it is unlikely to face gm prep). What I try to do it pick one opening to focus on and start making a pgn file on chessbase or whatever database you can use with analysis and comments on the main lines and the main mistakes that you find people make according to the opening explorer. This gives an overall understanding of the fundamental ideas and possibilities. Following that up since I play this opening exclusively the weeks I study it little by little move by move you start memorizing even up to move 15 a lot of times. Whenever I get tired or want to experiment I try a different opening with the same logic. That way in a few years I have files on almost all the most common openings and I go over them from time to time to study. Also while looking at top level tournaments I also add modern lines and analysis which top players have already made for us.
Overall I would stick to specific openings maybe decide for example what you play against e4 d4 e5 or d5 and that way you study 3-4 openings only to start with.
@Yuki_the_great said in #1:
> how do you study/practice openings effectively
That's the fun part, I don't.
GM Noel Studer (the guy in the video above) just posted a great video on how to truly study openings. It's based upon the Italian game, but the methods and concepts apply to any opening. In short, don't lose in 5 moves, get a game and play chess from there. It's more difficult than memorizing moves, but a lot more effective.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38ya2aZ1D3A
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