Day 1 — pick a profession, clear the starter farm
Pick one of the five professions (Farming, Fishing, Crafting, Mining, or Exploration) as soon as the bulletin board activates. Your profession gates which mentor quests unlock first, so choose based on the system you most want to engage with. Spend the rest of Day 1 clearing debris, planting your first seeds, and meeting the three NPCs who always spawn near the spawn-in gate.
Days 2–3 — earn 1,000 gold for the Work Table upgrade
The Work Table unlock is the single biggest early power spike. Forage everything on the south beach, sell the seaweed and shell stacks to the merchant boat, and complete the bulletin-board request chain. Most players hit 1,000 gold inside two in-game days. The Work Table lets you split stacks and craft sprinklers — both are essential for the next phase.
Days 4–5 — unlock the Moonlit Forest and the Iron-Ore Route
Once the bulletin-board introduces the Moonlit Forest, head there in the late afternoon. Catch five blue butterflies to unlock the second floor of the Dreamful Garden, where 8–10 iron-ore nodes respawn daily. Iron ingots fund your first furniture craft and unlock the pink wooden double bed, which is the most profitable early gold sink.
Days 6–7 — meet everyone, start the heart-event chain
By Day 6 you should have unlocked most NPCs. Talk to each one daily, hand out a Moonflower (foraged in the Moonlit Forest) for 10–15 affection per gift, and finish any bulletin-board request that mentions them by name. The 5-heart confession typically lands by in-game Day 15 if you stay consistent.
Save scumming, time management, and what not to do
Don't waste stamina on rain-day mining — instead, fish or forage. Don't skip the bulletin-board requests: they're the only reliable source of rare seeds. Don't ignore the NPC at the south dock — they hand out a free jet ski once the corresponding bulletin-board quest completes, which is the fastest way to the ocean fishing tiles.