Spend daylight on essentials
Collect wood, turn some into planks and make a crafting table. Use a wooden pickaxe to obtain stone, then upgrade the tools you need. Gather food while staying close enough to find your shelter again. A protected base is more useful on the first night than a large unfinished house.
Control the space around you
Before dark, close the gaps in a small shelter and add light. Do not assume daylight makes every creature harmless. Keep your first mine controlled and lit rather than entering a large dark cave without equipment.
- Store spare resources instead of carrying everything.
- Keep food and usable tools in your hotbar.
- Leave a clear route between the shelter and your work area.
Give the next session a starting point
A regular wool bed can set a personal respawn point when used in the Overworld. Keep that bed accessible and avoid treating every new bed type as equivalent: newer straw beds do not set your respawn point. Check your version’s item description before relying on it.