When and when not to use так

Русский нууб here. Can someone help me understand when I can and when I can't use the word так? Apparently this word means "so." My first time seeing this word was in the sentence: «Я так не думаю». I understand it in this context, or at least I think I do.

Can it be used as a conjunction as well? Take the sentence "I was hungry, so I ate" for example. Can you say- «Я побыл голоден, так я съел»? Can I use it that way?

If that sentence is a bad example, I'm just trying to write a sentence with that form, (I something, so I did something).