What would you do differently if you started you crypto journey all over again?

I (20M) am a computer science student. And I want to get into crypto because it's so interesting and also because of it's potential to turn into a profitable side hustle. I took a blockchain course in uni so I know how it works technically but what I want guidance on is the actual practical things I need to know to get started in the crypto market and maybe make it profitable one day. Also do you think it's a good or bad idea to even try making profit from crypto? Some people say it's just gambling with extra steps so is that true? Will I be better off just learning about normal stocks? Thank you!