Progress check (so I don't lose my sanity and resort to wiki-gaming the rest of my first experience)

Okay. I'm not exactly going for style here, but I've made it through five bosses so far: Cleric Beast, Gascoigne, Blood-Starved, Amelia, and the Witches...in that order.

I have also made it to Yahar'gul via getting kidnapped. I ended up discovering Paarl, but after getting two-shotted I decided to not go that way now.

I figure I have to go give the password at the other end of the round plaza in the Ward. I heard NWA is the boss fight there, so I'm prepared for tears.

Anyways, stats:

V: 26

E: 20

St: 16

Sk: 14

tinge/arcane not touched. Level 31 I think.

I have +4 Kirkhammer and Saw Cleaver with Gascoigne's get-up, 12 insight with 14 skulls unabsorbed.

Is there anything I should be tipped off on before heading to what many have told me is the most frustrating boss fight in the game for new players? Any areas to re-explore real quick maybe?

I usually try to explore and figure out myself, but I'm really, really bad at navigating Yharnam because nothing is obvious, and the layout of "go the hard, long way to open up various shortcuts" thing gets me too turned around and runs me out of vials before I can get a steady beat going. I don't want massive spoils or OP easymode, but anything fun or interesting I should go look at other than trying to kill/befriend machine gun guy?