Hi Kat,
I'm a new quitter myself so I won't be able to give any advice just yet, but I do know that this site has been incredibly helpful. I also agree with what you said about how no one was there to hammer the dangers of nicotine home. It's one thing for a high school health teacher to sit there lecturing about it; but it would have really helped to have been presented with some of the stuff on this site.
Anyway, you found the right place...welcome, if I'm allowed to even say that being such a newbie (7 days quit).
Mike