You can always try "Googling" the "Top 10 things to do after installing" or "Top 10 Ubuntu download".

Here is a list of usfull cmd's to run in the Ubuntu terminal to make sure all the updates and componants are installed.
("")=do not write with quotes

"sudo apt-get update -y"
"sudo apt-get install gcc -y"
"sudo apt-get install cpan -y"
"sudo apt-get install httpd -y"
"sudo apt-get install vsftpd -y"
"sudo apt-get install perl* -y"
"sudo apt-get install python* -y"
"sudo apt-get install java* -y"

First of all get rid of Unity its a horrible horrible things.
(Unity in simple terms is like the way the taskbar and such work and look)

I suggest getting the flashback of Gnome 2
press Ctrl + Alt + T
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install gnome-session-fallback

Log out of your current session
Click the Ubuntu logo on the right side of the login
Select
Gnome Flashback (Compiz)
or
Gnome Flashback (Metacity)

Next thing is to get a theme, The default one looks pretty bad in my opinion.

My suggestion is to get Numix
Ctrl + Alt + T
Insert this line by line

(Do not include the - at the beginning)

-sudo add-apt-repository ppa:numix/ppa
-sudo apt-get update
-sudo apt-get install numix-gtk-theme numix-icon-theme-circle
-sudo apt-get install numix-wallpaper-notd

You now need to get Unity tweaks (even though we are no longer running unity)

-sudo apt-get install unity-tweak-tool

Now load up unity tweak tool
Go to themes
Select Numix
Go to Icons
select one of the Numic icon packs (I suggest Numix-Circle)

Now there are alot of things can learn in Ubuntu first thing I would suggest is getting used to navigating it, Learn to use the terminal correctly as if you ever want to customise it will be important.
Learn keyboard shortcuts like Ctrl + Alt (Arrow Keys) To change your workspace (Its like multiple monitors on a single screen sort of)