I never looked at any of the getting started books, I graduated with BSEE 25 years ago and just jumped right into my project. Started with picking bits out of a serial data stream (5 bytes that repeated, 6 of the bits represented lights on/off info) and just kept expanding from there. Has been fun.
Why not come up with an interesting clock idea? Stopwatch or something, see how long it really takes your girlfriend to get ready, or how long the washing machines in the dorm basement run. Get some 7-segment displays, scroll a text message across them on your hat (BEAT PENN!). Make a soothing 3D cube and mesmerize your friends with the soothing patterns of LEDs trailing after each other.
Have some fun with it.