Welcome!
There is a wealth of experience amongst our members, from those just starting out, through enthusiastic amateurs (I'm in that category) to masterchefs and all points in between! The wikis, blogs, reviews, articles and photographs on here are well worth spending time to view.
We have a culinary student forum on the site where you will get some advice from those who are in the same boat. They are from many countries, too - gives a real sense of how wide the culinary world really is! Feel free to join in on any thread you find of interest, or start your own in the relevant forum. The professional fora are read-only for those not currently employed in a culinary capacity - but they make interesting reading, nonetheless!
Hope to see you around the boards.