Who this is for
Anyone who finished Computer Basics and hasn't had a calm first chat yet — including people who tried it once and closed it. Lessons 1 and 2 are one sitting, about 30 minutes. Safe to stop halfway.
Skip if you already use one chat site most weeks: read the cards in FC-2, then move on.
Stop and book a human if you only have a phone, you're locked out of your email, or someone is walking you through this on the phone right now.
The brake (if you feel stuck or panicked)
- It's typing too much? Click Stop — the square that shows up where the send arrow was.
- Closed the tab by mistake? Press
Ctrl+Shift+T(Mac:Cmd+Shift+T). The page comes back. - The chat got strange or long? Click New chat (a pencil or a plus, usually near the top). Clean page.
- Shared or library computer? Before you leave, click your initial or picture → Log out, then close the browser.
Get ready: two tabs, one site
About 2 min
- Close extra tabs. Keep two: this lesson, and one blank new tab (Ctrl+T, Mac: Cmd+T).
- On the worksheet, circle one site:
chatgpt.com,claude.ai, orgemini.google.com. You'll stay on it for the whole track. - Which one? If you already use Gmail and know its password,
gemini.google.comis the easy door. If not,chatgpt.comis the one to try first: when we checked in September 2026, it let people in the US start a chat without making an account.
↓ Download the First Chat worksheet (PDF)
Prefer paper via browser? Print-ready HTML version (File → Print → Save as PDF).
Type the address and walk through the door
About 3 min
- Click the address bar of the blank tab. Type the address exactly as you circled it. Press Enter.
- Look at what you got, then find your screen below.
Search for the site or click an ad. A page that says "ChatGPT" but shows a different address is not the real site. Type it yourself, every time.
| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| A box that says something like "Ask anything," "Ask ChatGPT," or "Message" | You're in. Go to the next step. |
| On chatgpt.com: a panel asking you to log in or sign up | You don't need an account here. Look for the X, or a small link like "Stay logged out." The "Log in" and "Sign up for free" buttons at the top can be ignored. |
| Log in / Sign up with no way past it | That's normal on some sites. Choose "Continue with Google" only if it's the Gmail you already use. Otherwise sign up with your email. A code will arrive in your email: switch to your email tab, copy the code, and paste it into this sign-in page. That's the only place a code goes — never the chat box. |
| It asks for a phone number or birthday | That's normal if the address bar still shows the real site. On chatgpt.com, the phone is one choice among several — pick email instead. If a site insists and you don't want to give it, stop: try another door or book a human. |
| Anything else — a coupon page, "download our app," a card form | Close the tab. |
Try this
Get to the page with a box to type in.
You should see: the real address in the address bar, and a box near the middle or bottom of the page. More than 10 minutes on sign-in screens? Stop. That's a setup job for a person, not a lesson failure.
Close the pop-ups (free works)
About 1 min
- Cookie notice: click whichever button closes it.
- Upgrade panel (Plus, Pro, "try free," a card form): click the X or "Stay on free." Free works for everything in this Academy.
Type a card number. Not for a "free trial," not to "verify," not anywhere on these sites.
Ask your first question
About 3 min
- Click in the box. Type the words in the worked example below. (Typing it yourself is good practice. The Copy button is there if typing is slow.)
- Enter sends. Shift+Enter makes a new line. If it sends early, no harm — send the rest as a second message.
- Read the 3 lines.
You type:
How do I get a coffee stain out of a cotton shirt? Answer in 3 short lines.
A good short answer looks like:
Blot it with cold water right away — don't rub.
Work in a drop of dish soap and let it sit 5 minutes.
Wash in cold water and check the stain is gone before you put it in the dryer.
Your answer will be worded differently. That's normal. Check it has the same parts: 3 short lines about the stain.
Notice the last sentence you typed: "Answer in 3 short lines." You'll end every ask in this Academy that way. It keeps answers short enough to read and check.
Brake drill: Stop, New chat, bring it back
About 3 min
Buttons move around on these sites. Look for what a button does, not where it sits. If something isn't where this says, find the chat box and keep going.
- Type
Tell me a long story about a lighthouse.and press Enter. - While it's writing, click Stop — the square where the send arrow was. It stops. You're in charge.
- Click New chat. Blank page. If you're signed in, your old chat is saved in the side list — ignore it for now. Not signed in on chatgpt.com? It may ask "Clear current chat?" Click Clear chat. Nothing was saved.
- Close the tab. Press Ctrl+Shift+T (Mac: Cmd+Shift+T). It comes back. (Not signed in? The page comes back, but the old chat may be gone. That's fine.)
Try this
Stop the lighthouse story partway through.
You should see: the story stop mid-sentence and the send arrow come back. If it finished before you clicked, ask for the story again and click sooner.
Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+T brings it back.
Success check
- I typed the address myself (no search, no ad)
- A short answer is on my screen
- I clicked Stop while it was writing
- I clicked New chat
- I closed the tab and brought it back
Common snags
| Snag | Fix |
|---|---|
| The answer is long, not 3 lines | Click Stop. Send one more message: Shorter please. 3 short lines. |
| Can't find Stop | It only shows while the chat is writing. Ask for the long story again and watch where the send arrow was. |
| A "verify you're human" check | Tick the box it shows. If it keeps looping, try again later or pick another door. |
| Can't tell which Google account is yours | Stop and book a human. Don't guess passwords. |
Stop / don't
Don't type a card number anywhere. If you can't tell which Google account is yours, stop and book a human — don't guess passwords. If a page says your account is "locked" and gives a phone number to call, that's a scam: close it.
Brake: Stop · Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+T · New chat · shared computer → Log out.
It's not you — these sites change often. Book a free 15-minute consult and we'll get you in on screen share.