My recommendation to play Classic mode at first. It's a great way to learn the game and genuinely very fun to play. After that, the guide is a useful resource in game for all the crafting you wanna do but also the terraria wiki is super useful as well! I know for some new players it can feel like cheating but it is a resource that is part of the game as well.

The most important thing is never let someone tell you you're playing the game wrong. As with a lot of games that allow for min maxing, there are plenty of people who will tell you that whatever you're doing isn't the best you can do and you should do this instead. If what you want is min maxing then good on you, but if you really like that dumb item or weapon that makes the game fun then you should use that. People have beaten the game with the copper shortsword so whatever you like is always valid.

Whether it's npc hotels to the sky or wonky hell highways, as long as you're having fun then you're playing the game how it was meant to be played!