Java's got only one pointer you need to worry about, and that's the null pointer

Don't get trapped in learning a tool instead of learning the language (so don't start with heavyweight IDEs and stuff).
Don't get trapped into learning some external libraries before you know the language (we don't want kids who never programmed Java before asking questions about EJB, Servlet, Hibernate, Spring, Struts, etc. etc.).
Don't get sidetracked into thinking Java is just like C++ because of the similarities in syntax, it's not.