1. Everyone had to start somewhere, and you can't be an expert overnight.
2. Your first version does not need to be perfect. It doesn't even need to be good. It needs to exist.
3. You will make mistakes.
4. You can make no mistakes, and still have a print fail.
5. There will be a lot of waste.
6. If you need something to be perfect by a certain time, plan on printing it more than once.
7. Wash your build plate. Seriously.
8. Filament can be sealed in a bag with desiccant, and still need to be dried. Dry your filament.
9. Don't buy the cheapest filament you can find. Find a cheap-ish brand that works, and stick with it.
10. PLA is easy until it isn't. PETG is annoying until you respect it. TPU is some kind of black magic that requires a sacrifice to the old gods.
11. Most things can be fixed with a deburring tool, hobby knife, heat gun, and super glue.
12. WD-40 is not printer lube. Sewing machine oil is cheap.
13. Cats are chaos demons.
14. Most of your prints will be small.
15. CoreXY printers are better than bed slingers for large prints.
16. Multicolor prints look cool, but are expensive to do right.
17. Cheap calipers are better than a ruler, and a requirement for making and modifying models.
18. Sometimes designing a screw hole is better than trying to design a snap or twist fit, and is at least good enough for a prototype.
19. Fusion is way less intimidating than it looks, and it's insane that you can use it for free.
20. Blender is way more intimidating than it looks, and it's insane that you can use it for free.
21. Soldering is way easier than it seems, and makes your projects electric.
22. You will eventually design something absolutely ridiculous because you cannot stand that it costs $6, and you think "I could just print that." It will steal approximately 27 hours of your life.
23. Document things while you're doing them. You will not remember and cannot take pictures later.
24. No one is going to do it for you, so read the documentation. Reddit and Discord can also be great resources, but read the damn documentation.
25. Some people online are mean for no reason. I guess it's fun for them.
26. Contests are sometimes unfair and not random.
27. Way more models are crappy AI-generated slop than you realize at first.
28. Crappy AI models/images will beat great models with bad photos.
29. Bambu makes so damn fine machines.
30. The printer is no longer the hobby, it's the gateway drug.

BONUS: Making cool things is its own reward. A little plastic can change your life.

Comment below with things you've learned in your 3D printing journey, or tips for those just starting out!