I am also a public nudist newbie. I love being naked at home and have always wanted to be naked outside but never found other people in my area that felt the same way. I am looking to find new friends that feel the same way I do about being naked.
I have been a nudist for 30 years but I have only been a social nudist for 15. Not sure why, probably lack of internet and social networking sites back then but it took me 15 years to find a group that enjoyed nudity in a social setting. I met some friends through my boating club 15 years ago and after a few drinks they confessed that they were nudists. I and my wife told them that we were naked at home every chance we could get.
It was about a minute later that all four of us were naked. That was it. I was hooked. All the years of wondering what it would be like to be naked with friends in a social setting vanished and there we were. The nervousness went away within seconds. It was like lifting a giant weight.
Within a month or so we were introduced to other people (Friends of our friends) that were nudists. A few months later, our friends invited us to their annual Nude Years Eve party. There my wife and I were, butt naked in front of 12 strangers (we new our friends and 1 other couple). It was no big deal. It felt normal.
So for the new nudists out there. Don't rush it. Find a group, go to a nude beach and meet some people or check out a nude resort. If you like being naked, you will love being naked in a social setting.