ok, my first thoughts are that you should do everything you can prior to getting the turbo. when i got mine all i needed was the turbo [install kit], injectors, and SAFC [something to tune]. all the other shit really wasn't nessecary to go really fast.
as far as my first week of having it:
first couple days i thought the lag was a bit much and thought mabey i should have gotten a regular 16g.
then i thought ''you sound like a bitch... should have gotten a smaller turbo... don't be a pussy!''
now i drive a bit different, keep it into the higher rpm's a bit more. i'm in tune to the fact that if i hit more than ~13psi in first i'm losing the front end. also that after ~6250 rpm in 2nd it's gone too. 3rd is like a beast unleashed...
get as many supporting mods as you can before you go the full distance of the turbo. i don't know about you, but for me, having something i have to tune down so i won't blow up would be very frustrating.
once i get my pocketlogger it's on baby! tweeker tuning heaven!