I have learned that typing in /leave 1, cost you on many good deals and even more useful information.
You see someone selling a schematic you don't have for 1 silver on /1 all the time. You're tracking a rare monster and don't want to do the entire circuit of possible locations ask if anyone has seen it. See someone flounders, you can often offer them a quick hand.
Yes there is pointless stuff on /1, but as things smooth out there is a lot of good on it. (Of course I'm on an RP server so maybe that helps.)
Other things I've learned.
Poke in the dark corners of caves, boxes, rare mobs, odd story points often await you. Never be in a hurry to leave a cave. (Sure you've killed the 20 goblins you need to kill, but hey look a plot/quest around the corner.)
Don't be afraid to ask questions, sure people will point and giggle but if you are polite you will find there are polite people who will help. Also learn who to ask. Need a fishing recipe, talk to some people fishing. Need info about engineering hang around the work shops.
A drop of courtesy is worth a pound of being right. No mater what you may thing, being right isn't more important then enjoying the game. Sure you got there first, sure you "KNOW" monkey wrenches are the best weapon in the game, of course "No one would ever use THAT spell" it doesn't matter. If you are pulling hair out arguing with someone else over it, you and probably them are not enjoying yourself.