If ANYONE Wants to hear about this, let me know. You might find this helpful!

Tippies!: For more comfort in houses/caves, etc. build the ceilings at LEAST three high, otherwise you feel cramped. Also, add lots of windows so you can save coal/charcoal and watch for monsters (if you aren't on peaceful, which I recommend you stay on until you get your bearings.). If you are on creative, you can go underwater w/o dying, which is cool! And if you didn't know: when you die (except on Hardcore) go back to where you died and re-collect your stuff! Try to find a cave when you first begin, and make it a home.

Don't have coal? Take cobble and make a furnace, then burn solid wood (not planks) using wood to make charcoal.

Have a lot of stuff, an overwhelming inventory? Use a chest. Put two next to each other to make a macho one.

Use minecraft wiki if you're really stuck or to become a well learned Minecrafter, but don't use it to the extent where it feels like you're cheating at the game!

more later!

good tips. one thing i want to point out though is that on servers, building your shelter in a cave isn't the best idea because caves are dark and dark= mob spawn. i would suggest building a small hut above ground while you are mining for materials. though during the day, mining in caves is good because there's often many good deposits of coal and iron to be found along with lapiz and possibly rarer ores like gold, redstone, and diamond when you go deeper into the cave.