Most first years at anything are a long list of what not to do. Keep the list.

A first year produces mistakes faster than it produces skill, and nearly all the value sits in knowing what went wrong. The trouble is that those lessons feel unforgettable at the time and then quietly fade, so people repeat them in year three. Writing them down turns embarrassment into something usable later. The list is the real output of the year.

Start a note today with the mistakes you have already made at whatever you are new to, in plain language. Add to it whenever something goes wrong. Read it before the next time you start something, because most of it will apply again.