Getting Started with Reading the Quran: Some Friendly Advice

Assalamu alaikum, everyone. I've recently begun reading an English translation of the Quran to better understand Islam and have meaningful conversations with my Muslim friends. Instead of constantly asking them questions, I thought it would be good to read it myself. I've been going through one Surah at a time, starting from the beginning, and using the footnotes for extra context when things aren't clear. A friend mentioned they prefer starting from the back since the Surahs are shorter there, which sounds interesting. I'm considering sticking to one Surah per day to keep it manageable. What do you think about this approach? Any suggestions for a first-time reader, especially on the order of reading?