They got it wrong write from step 1. The default raspian makes you pick a distro, then you have to log in (hope you're in front of the manual) then boot your own desktop environment with `startx`.
The Pi should be plug in -> boot to desktop with an icon for the manual, examples, scratch and the python repl. From that you get doing something and there's the carrot to have a reason to find out what other things it can do.
The choices are important but they've got no context until the pi is doing something in front of you.
This board is going to be great for the Pi. It fixes that first step. You make this board do a thing for you and ask "How can I connect two of them up" or "I want the to work while I'm away". Enter the pi to replace your laptop your developing on. Now you have a reason to learn how to leave it unattended.