19 and trying to get serious about biking. Where do I even start?

Hey all,

So I'm 19, and I've been riding casually for a couple years but I want to actually get good — like train properly, understand gear, not just wing it every time. Problem is every time I look stuff up online it's either way too technical (cadence zones, FTP, whatever) or way too basic (just "wear a helmet lol").

A little context: I've got a decent hybrid bike right now, ride maybe 3-4 times a week, mostly flat routes around my area, nothing crazy. No real structure to it though — I just go until I'm tired and come back.

Things I'm actually trying to figure out:

• Is it worth getting a proper road bike now or should I wait until I know what kind of riding I actually like?
• How do you build up endurance without just burning out or getting hurt? I hear a lot about overtraining but no one explains what that actually looks like day to day.
• Nutrition/hydration stuff — do I need to be thinking about this seriously at my level or is that overkill for someone who isn't racing?
• Any beginner mistakes you wish someone had told you about before you learned the hard way?

I'm not trying to become a pro or anything, I just don't want to plateau in six months because I built bad habits early. If anyone's been where I am and figured this out, I'd genuinely appreciate the wisdom. Even just "here's what I wish I knew at 19" would help a ton.

Thanks in advance, this sub has been a goldmine just from lurking.

Even a small suggestion would help a lot Thanks!!!