What are some essential programs you recommend I get?

[Terran SCV]

Like others have said, Pidgin.
A decent media player probably would be good too. I personally like Media Player Classic (included in this pack of codecs), though VLC and Winamp (music playing only; no video) are also good. idk maybe iTunes. The codec pack that includes Media Player Classic is probably useful even if you don't want to use that specific media player.
If you do image editing, go for GIMP, pirated photoshop/fireworks, or PaintDotNet.
If you need an office suite either use OpenOffice.org or Microsoft Office. Or something else idk.
And Mozilla Thunderbird seems good for email.

That was actually some good ideas there
Listen to this guy - you won't be disappointed unless you mess up somewhere between downloading and installing 

[hotlikesauce.]

About TF2 Non-Steam

What do I do. I can only find Orange Box non-steam and I don't want to download for 2 days.

[hotlikesauce.]

How big will the file be?

[Terran SCV]

How big will the file be?

I was only joking... Sorry

[Mettalik]

Why are you just filling it with shit? Download what you need when you need it. 

[The Speaker Of Words]

Hey whoa
Digsby is pretty cool.

[Hiro]

Yeah see?

[Terran SCV]

Yeah see?

Looks like you've got another person towards your cause

[russell]

did you just get your very first computer or something? 

I don't roll with Windows 

get Orange Box though 

[hotlikesauce.]

did you just get your very first computer or something? 

I don't roll with Windows 

get Orange Box though 

No. A brand new computer of my own, though.

[Lotos]

This if you need a free media converter for stuff on your hard drive.  I prefer this one to the online one, except I need the online one for YouTube videos.

[[hedy]Zidone]

Hey whoa
Digsby is pretty cool.

web 2.0 web 2.0 web 2.0

[Terran SCV]

I use Pidgin
[spoiler]
only because I have Ubuntu
[/spoiler]