>>48
Get a theme too! After you start Hexchat the first time (so it builds the folders etc.) you can download a theme from here
https://hexchat.github.io/themes.html
You can open this file with "Hexchat Theme Manager" that you have somewhere, if it doesn't open automatically. Click apply and it will set the theme.

If you are on Windows and you use your real name as a user ID, go on Settings > Preferences > Advances, and change you real name to something else, as well as the defaults in the network list.

You're going to be asked to register a nickname when you enter a server, just follow the instructions, it's usually about sending a command to NickServ. If your connection drops you might find your nickname still in use by your "ghost", you can kill that nick with /msg nickserv ghost or just /ghost followed by [nickname] [password]. You can also automate this by switching your login method (Network list > Edit) to "custom", and putting a sequence of /ghost, /nick and /identify in that panel. You can shorthand username and password in that panel with %u and %p respectively, it will fetch what you entered in the server configuration.