Tips for someone picking up the game after a few years?

I haven't played Minecraft since sticky pistons were introduced, so it's been a while. But after playing the game, it seems almost exactly the same as it used to be, just with some quality of life changes.

That said, I'm sure the reason it feels the same is because I'm unaware of what to do in the game now. I keep creating a base, creating a farm, getting some animals, and then finding nearby villages to trade with. Anything else I should be doing? Any tips for someone coming back to the game? Thanks!!