Welcome! There are lots of shaving forums on the internet, but you'd be
hard-pressed to find one which is more helpful and congenial than SRP.
You've come to the right place for honest, civil, and useful advise.

To your questions: If you don't start with good tools, you're bound to be
disappointed with the results, probably sooner rather than later. I don't
think you can go wrong by purchasing a full set of gear right off the bat,
especially if it comes from Straight Razor Designs. The initial investment
may seem high, especially on a student's budget, but its a good place to
start.

Personally, I would invest a few bucks more and get a 3 inch wide strop,
but other folks here might disagree. The main thing is to learn to properly
use what you have. Stick with it for 6 months or so before you even think
about buying anything else. You won't need it, and you may need the time
to learn enough to make an informed decision about an additional purchase.

If you can find someone to personally mentor you, so much the better. Not
only will you get to see someone else's collection of gear, but you will indeed
learn more in a few hours than watching videos for weeks. Nothing beats
hands-on instruction.

Don't throw away the shaving gear you already have. Until you get the hang
of straight razor shaving, you may want to use it for touch-ups, or for those
times when you're in a big hurry, or for when, for any reason, you can't devote
your full attention to your shave.

Your next purchase may be a second razor, mainly so that you can send the
first one out to be honed by a pro, without interrupting your shaving routine.
Until you really know what you're looking for, stay away from ebay/amazon/etc.
Those big outfits are fine for consumable items, like soaps, creams, and
aftershaves, but be careful about expensive hardware, even if it looks like a
good deal. There are good deals to be had...just be careful. You'll probably be
better off dealing with someone you can talk to.

So there you go. Get good gear, learn how to use it, and educate yourself
before you jump in with both feet. Otherwise, you might end up like the rest of
us...with a bad case of Razor/Hone Acquisition Disorder. Prematurely, that is.

Enjoy the adventure!