Since you just join as you have just told me today you wand to follow the signs from spawn to Ships that take you to
BEDLAM (Bedlam is a bad place you can be griefed, and people will tend to just attack you. you cannot lockyour chests of your doors to your house) This is where you will stay untill you apply for registered rank which can be found at
http://www.tinyurl.com/smpapply with that you apply to move to the world of Homestead. In Homestead you can lock your chests doors and such. you just need at apply for registered rank. IF you need any more clarification seek me out. Good luck