I did nearly all of those things. It was my second RPG (threads of fate being the first...so i guess you could say VIII was my first because ToF wasn't all that good).

Didn't know what boost did.
Didn't understand Junction (heck, who does on their first time through?)
Didn't draw GFs
Called Rinoa "Riona"...still do somtimes...
Didn't make it past the missle base...
Tried again...
Understood Junctioning a little better...
Survived on GFs only (still not drawing)
Overwrote game on disc 2...then again on Disc 3...

By then I was much better and kicked ass with the junctioning AND got all of the GFs and that good stuff.