Don't use any guides for the links. You won't manage to do them all normally in one playthrough, but the theme is choices anyway, so just try to advance the links at a natural pace, just maxing out the ones that you feel you like.

Also, in P3P, you can easily reach the limit of Tartarus you have in one evening, so you have more time on links.

And don't dispose of Orpheus until you get the compendium. He's the only Persona you can't fuse or receive otherwise, and he's required for some powerful fusions later in the game.