Apple newbie with a new mbp 13 from microcenter

Hi! So I finally bought a mbp 13 after 6 months of researching =p I just have a few questions if someone kindly would help me with.

1. I got my mbp 13 from microcenter... is there any difference between buying from there vs apple? (ie warranty, software, cables, actual computer... anything).
2. I am a complete noob on macs. Bought mbp for its battery life and durability. Is there some sort of guide on what to do when you get your mac? Ive been reading the thread on there on the basics and the info on apple website.. so i know the basic stuff.. like copy and past and stuff like that.. but Im looking for some thing a bit more... can someone please guide me to something like that?
3. Do I need apple care? Can i even get apple care buying my mbp from the microcenter?
4. I really want to protect my mac casing...but at the same time I want something light and thin (i have a sleeve for the comp) that does not block the apple light on the lid is there such a case? (something like the incipio feather case but that doesnt cover the lid.
5. Anything I can do to extend my battery life? This is the most important factor for me, I am a college student who travels A LOT... so battery life is really important.. any software or anything i can do to improve the battery life?

Thank you so much for your help!! Will rep anyone who is willing to help =)

 

1. There is no difference.
2. Apple's website has a crapload of tutorials to go through to help you with the basics and then some. The best way that I learned was just playing around with the OS and getting used to all of the command keys (command-delete sends straight to the Trash, shift-command-delete empties Trash, command-Q truly closes programs, etc.).
3. That it up to you. I would get AppleCare if you lived near an official Apple Store simply because you can always take your computer in and actually talk to a person and not a call center in Mumbai. You can get AppleCare even if you didn't buy the MBP directly from Apple, it doesn't matter. You have one year to buy AppleCare from the date on your receipt.
4. I actually don't recommend adding any casing to the MBP itself but rather go with a slipcase. That way you aren't covering up the MBP when you actually use it and you are giving it much more protection than any type of snap-on case. Slip cases have soft interior lining so they won't scratch your computer along with thick padding to protect it against bumps and hits.
5. Read up online. Essentially, when you are on the battery, you want to decrease the backlight as much as possible, decrease the keyboard backlight as much as possible (or just turn it off), turn off bluetooth, and turn off wi-fi in order to get the absolute most out of the MBP. You can play around with the settings from there just to see how much you get.

 

I'd focus on learning the command key shortcuts. They tend to be a bit more useful than on Windows. Otherwise, just use it as you would any laptop.