I'm visually impaired and for one, we do not echolocate. Getting asked that is honestly one of my biggest pet peeves. I'm sure that it helps some people, maybe? But that is not a general blind person thing. I was born with my disability so I don't know anything different and the only thing that I truly struggle with is not having the freedom to just go drive to the store to get something or to go out to eat to somewhere that doesn't deliver whenever I want.
As for doing things like learning to use a cane, it's a lot of repetition at first and then you just kinda figure it out. Walking in step with the cane is hard at first but it just becomes second nature after a while. Learning street crossings takes a lot of time, especially if you have less vision than someone like me. I can still see well enough to see if an intersection is a T or a Y or a whatever but some people can only do that by ear.
Another thing that I can say, especially if you are writing a story, is that all blindness is different. Even people with the exact same conditions will have different vision and different ways of cooking and dealing with the mental effects of being blind or visually impaired.

Echo locating is a novelty, lets get that out of the way first.
Aside from that, I've been blind my whole life, so started with a cane when I was really little. Its kinda like learning to walk I'd say, where now when I'm using it I just do. I know what I have to do so don't think about it.
Honestly I'd say for the most part being blind is like living the same as everyone else only with the lights off, lol. We all have challenges some harder than others whether your blind or not, have 3 hands, 6 toes or just suck at math. Lifes different for all of us bro.
Having said that though, I won't pretend it doesn't suck all the time. Its definitely a bitch sometins when it comes to inaccessible apps or technology and no one around to help, or snow covering curbs in the winter on stretches of sidewalks that aren't easy to navigate anyway in the best of times.
Cooking can be a bit unnerving too, but that comes with time, like most things.

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It's an absolute pain in the ass in almost all aspects of life. There isn't really a single thing that doesn't get harder and takes longer after going blind.

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No, I don't get depressed, because how is that going to help anything? I just keep pushing forward, because that's all you can do.

All you gotta know is that it fucking sucks (blind person here)

For context, I’m completely blind in my left eye and had retina attachment surgery in my right eye THATS left me with some vision. In the past I would’ve been low vision. I don’t know how to describe my vision right now, it’s like I can see normally around the house but I also can’t see much? I also don’t have a lens in my eye either.

It’s a blessing and a curse. I hate not being spontaneous because I love shopping by myself. I can’t see colour or detail so picking out clothes is a pain. I miss playing Sims and looking on Pinterest and house plan sites. I won’t go into a whole list about my frustrations because that’s just gonna being me down, but yeah I do feel sad and frustrated about it. However, I like using my imagination and I’m so grateful for the technology we do have.

See molly burke on youtube
Edit: sighted person here