700+ hours, ask me anything
Except how to be good, I don't have any experience in that area
I've been going through the Village(Caravan) quests mostly. Marathoned Low Rank Guild Hall with my brother over the game's first weekend, but then dropped out of there to further single player. There's a few monsters and (VERY IMPORTANT) items you can only fight/obtain through single-player, so I definitely suggest everyone goes through it.
On the comment of trudging through, what weapon are you using? I'm biased, but personally the Hammer is the one weapon I suggest every new player tries. It's simple when you start, it's simple later on: Super Charge heads, and Triple Swing when it's safe. But the best part? You do improve, and advanced Hammer play is definitely a thing! Watching some better people use the Hammer compared to me, it's like a completely different weapon. They put every aspect of it to use.
If that's not up your alley, I've heard a lot of suggestions for the Lance, and the Long Sword is commonly used by new players as well. Great Sword follows suit as another common one (less so in this game). Also, apparently you don't use the Sword and Shield as a new player. Or a veteran player. Basically, you don't use Sword and Shield unless you know what the * you're doing. It has to do with damage calculations, elemental damage, armor skills and lots of other stuff I personally don't care to wade through any time soon.
I'll abide by the spoilers, but there's not much you can spoil with Monster Hunter, thankfully. Even with all the new additions, 80% of the monsters here have been in a previous game in some form or another. There's two Monster names I wouldn't look up online, though, just to keep the awe of seeing them for the first time: Dalamadur (and its subspecies, Shah Dalamadur), and Gogmazios. I know what they look like, and have heard small snippets of their themes. But I'm staying blind to keep everything else about them as new as possible.