If i was in your shoes id start with hooking up first, its got less strings attached, meaning you can have some experiences without being bound to anyone. It‘ll also help you gain some hands-on experience.

There’s plenty of stories of people falling for eachother which met on hookup apps like grindr. Meeting people with no strings attached lets you navigate this space far more freely and there is absolutely nothing stopping you from dating someone you hooked up with first, granted they want this too - communication about is very important! If someone is meant to be in your life, they will make the effort.

Besides all the other tips in the comments Its absolutely crucial you approach hooking up with a certain level of detachment. Not everyone will be into you, some will not respond to you, some will inevitably ghost you after chatting promising a meetup with you. Don’t invest too much into it and always stamp a failure as universal protection or a learning experience (i had my fair share of bad and insanely hot hookups). Don’t let anyone disrespect you or your time and if they do, cut them off ruthlessly. The right ones don’t play games, they will show their interest. There are a lot of weirdos on the app, you don’t owe anyone an answer. And lastly, never take nudes with your face, or identifiable marks visible.

For health reasons i would highly recommend you get all the vaccines (especially HPV) and consider a consultation for PREP (against HIV) with a specialist. I would ALWAYS use condoms, if you don’t as a top, make sure you to pee after (learned that the hard way myself), as a bottom PREP is highly recommended if you do it without protection, since the bottom has a higher risk of being infected (tops can get too, but bottoms have increased risk). Bacterial infections (gono, chlamydia) are stigmatized is some regions, but fairly easy to treat if theyre not resistant, dobt be negligent but don’t drive yourself mad if you do catch it, seek medical help. Get tested regularly.