Welcome from central Mississippi!
You live in a great area for detecting with beaches, parks and a long history.
Do not be discouraged if you cannot find a hunting partner.
Just start detecting in areas where the turf is not important until you have skill at digging holes without leaving a trace. Then advance to the more manicured areas. Buy a pinpointer. A pinpointer will prevent frustration and speed up locating the target. We like the Orange Garrrett pinpointers.
A scoop will help you a lot on the beaches.
There is no substitute for just beeping and digging.
You will get the hang of it in no time.