Lots of good suggestions here. Something I would have found helpful in the beginning would have been, not only to pull bobbin thread to the top before starting, but also suggestions on different methods of starting and ending. For example, starting with small stitches or tying and burying threads at start; what to do when you run out of bobbin thread, etc. When I first started, I found a lot of information on the internet on how to start and stop, but I found little info on what to do when you run out of bobbin thread.
I now prefer to leave enough thread at the beginning and ending to tie and bury using a spiral eye needle. When I run out of bobbin, I unsew far enough back to have enough thread to tie and bury.