First of all, I am representing myself, as an individual user and this is my stake and my decision. This initiative is mine and you should look at it as such, not from an entire chain perspective.

Secondly, I've seen where showering brand new users with big votes leads and trust me, they leave the second you don't support them, because getting big votes teaches them to post only for these votes, cash out everything and many don't even care to reply to comments, let alone try to get followers and support organically, or consume any content.

Should the first 3 months really feel like a gauntlet you need to survive through???

Nope, not at all. The whole journey is a consistency and survival game as nothing is guaranteed here. One day you're at the top and the next you get nothing, which is why one should manage their account wisely.