Welcome to OCDO.
Double +1 on going over to the NC forum and on getting acquainted with GRNC.
Watching the "don't talk to the cops" video is good training, but needs a small bit of thinking instead of taking as an absolutely absolute practice.
Read up on what's been said - especially in case law - about NC's GTTTOTP law - it is not as horrific as folks want to make it and yes, cops will misuse/abuse it.
Which brings me to: go buy a digital voice recorder that easily syncs to your computer. Turn it on and carry it on you from when you get up until you go to bed, or at least from just before you go out the door until just after you come back and shut the door. Yes, taking the trash out needs to be recorded - what if you are ambushed by trash theives who threaten your life if you do not hand over yesterday's pizza box?
If you cannot find an OC meet&greet near you consider setting one up yourself. All it takes is finding a location tat will not throw you out/call the cops, picking a date/time, and posting it in the NC forum. If only you show up at the firtst one do jot be discouraged. Write up an AAR (After Action Report) telling what a good time you had and then schedule another one. Eventually someone else will show up, and then you can both post about the good time you had. After that everybody (well, some more folks) will want to come and see what's going on.
stay safe.