I just bought a Glowforge and I don’t get it for a week…is there anything you guys recommend that I can do in order to get ready for my new machine? Super excited !
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Yup, read, read, read.
There is a lot to learn, and it’s all here. Dig in and soak as much up as you can, it will be worth it. 
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Thank you.
Been reading a lot!
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What’s your first project idea?
I’m thinking some letters for a gift of a round sign or some wooden earrings… something small.
Yeah those are fun little projects with almost instant payoff.
Etsy has lots of cheap earring design packs, but beware that Etsy files often require a bit of cleanup to get the most out of them. I always view Etsy files as a head start not as a destination.
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Yeah…it’s the same for cricut files…
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As for your sign, there are a few tricks to dealing with letters. What software do you intend to use for design?
I don’t know yet…what are my options…?
Oh if you find from the Cricut world you’ve got a huge leg up on the process.
Are you aware of how colors work in the Glowforge workflow?
I know nothing! 
Often the best software is what you already know.
There are mega discussion threads about which is “best”, to an extent it’s down to personal preference. I like inkscape, but there are lots of people who think it’s awful. 
Ok on cricut different steps are merged together when they’re the same path. In Glowforge different steps are grouped by colors. It’s really easy in practice it’s just a little different mindset.
I actually can’t easily get back into cricut design mode anymore. Too used to the GF way.
This thread will be useful for you:
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And when you get done… read some more. You will learn so much from reading the posts on this forum. Go in and fill out your profile and tell us about you. Many of us have included where we are from (this has helped me to connect with local people that have been more than willing to help me.) When you get it, ask questions. The combined knowledge and experience found in this forum is unbelievable and your best tool going forward.
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Welcome to the world of Glowforge. Whatever you do, just post your baby steps and we will swoop in and comment as appropriate. Design software is crucial, but look through the free design stuff that folks post and cut away!
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I highly recommend this blog. It is extremely informative.
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You have a great adventure ahead of you!
Think about your venting solution and get that in place, as well as a stable surface for your machine, and material storage.
Of course the community here is at your disposal, and the help available here is almost boundless, but the search function at the top right is an excellent resource for the years worth of information that has been gathered.
Welcome to the fun house, one of the friendliest places you will find on the web. Don’t worry, the unknown is not as deep as it feels, and we’re all here for you! 
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Congratulations and welcome to the forum. Like others have said, research some design programs and learn everything you can. Inkscape is free and works for me but there are many others.
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I got it started…but it is printing jagged…and I’m a bit frustrated…