You have a grueling adventure ahead of you, but you can start things off right by keeping the following tips in mind.

Keep the different modes straight and play in the one that suits your interests. You lose gear if you die in Adventure mode, but in Exploration mode, that penalty doesn't exist.

Stick near the beach until you're truly ready to start exploring. You should level up your backpack so that you can hold more stuff (food especially), and piece together some weapons and leather clothes so you can survive combat.

Make sure that you're ready to fish almost immediately. That will help you avoid dying from hunger. To craft a rod, put together 2 pieces of string and 3 pieces of wood.

Pay attention as you wander, since you'll find items that are useful for crafting essential equipment. In particular, watch for opportunities to gather twigs and flitn, fiber, leather, leaves, and the various types of ore.

Try to master ranged weapons, so you can deal with your foes from a distance and with minimal risk.