Good on ya for wanting to begin beekeeping!
I'm a newbie to beekeeping as well. I have a few hives and even watching them do their thing is entertaining.
A little advice from a noob, gather your necessary equipment as time/money allows for as things can move quickly as unforeseen opportunities to get bees present themselves at the most unforeseen times! There may be "nuisance" bees living in a barn or a shed that someone will want removed, and I have discovered that this is an excellent way to get bees. Your mentor can be a huge help in this, especially in teaching you how to safely grab these bees up and hive them.
However, if it is your intention to wait until spring to have bees, you have a little bit of time to spare, but not much, there is plenty to do in preparation before spring. Making up hive boxes and supers, frames, etc, fun to do and quite necessary. Get yourself a good smoker, find/gather free natural fuels for it, practice lighting it and keeping it going, special emphasis on keeping it going, initially, it can seem as if your smoker will go out when you want to use it the most. ;) Practice getting good cool smoke out of it with the lightest squeeze on the bellows. A good thing to have down allowing you to use the least amount of smoke and you're not choking or burning your bees with the hot gases from your smoker.
Again, prepare for bees, I don't know the weather patterns of your location, but where I am, it is very warm nearly year around with very cold but short winters making beekeeping activities nearly a year 'round pursuit.
It sure is a great way to manage stress and an excellent hobby that is both active yet relaxing. When I'm working my bees, my wife does NOT come out to the backyard to "bug" me. :evil: :-D
As far as the people 'round here. In the short time I have been here, they seem quite friendly and always willing to talk bees.
Cheers!
-Dennis