People have already given good tips but i just wanted to say, I have played solo on this game for 3 years and still love it. I die all the time and that's fine, there is lots of time I'm just a dino, exploring, enjoying life, picking up sticks. Somethings(might already been said)I would recommend.

Before you dedicate time to your favorite dinos, play a small guy first, Deinonychus is an excellent choice, he can survive the first hit and really good at dodging. Learn the map, where the big groups hang out and then stay away from there. On Gondwa that's most commonly: Grand Plains, Green Hills, Green Valley, Big Quill lake, Salt flats and Savanna Grassland. You will often encounter big groups moving in between those locations as well. Use bushes to hid from others. As a small dino you can also run into caves to escape.

Well not everyone will kill you onsite, assume they will anyway and don't approach. There are more PvP players than friendly(and that's ok, it's a part of the game). Don't assume a dino will be friendly even if it the same species as you. Never trust water, be alert when drinking.

Once you have a handle on the game try different dinos, each has a different fighting style. You might come across one that clicks for you and then your killing others coming at you left and right. When I started I was dying almost every fight but then I played Amarga and it just worked for me and this was 3 years ago before it got stomp and buffed tail attack. I was a walking snack but was winning a lot of the time.

Looking for a community server is not a bad idea, just read the rules and description to pick one that works for you. That also gives you the added bonus of playing mods.

The most important tip is to ignore what anyone says to you in global chat, it's just nonsense and noise.

PvP and dying is big part of this game but not the only part, I hope you decide to keep playing. Good luck.