I used to kill every plant I touched. Genuinely — cactus, pothos, even "unkillable" succulents. Here's what actually changed things for me, and the 5 plants I'd recommend to anyone starting from zero in a small apartment:

1. Pothos — grows in low light, forgives you if you forget to water it for a week, and you can literally just cut a piece and grow a new plant from it in a cup of water.

2. Snake plant — near impossible to overwater-kill because its roots rot slowly. Perfect for people who travel or forget things.

3. Mint (in its own pot, always) — grows aggressively, smells great, and you get fresh mint for tea. Just don't plant it with other herbs, it takes over.

4. Spider plant — tolerates almost any light condition and produces "babies" you can replant, so one plant becomes five.

5. Cherry tomatoes in a 5-gallon bucket — if you have literally any sunny window or balcony, this is the easiest way to go from "I've never grown food" to eating something you grew in about 10 weeks.

The real lesson: overwatering kills more plants than neglect. When in doubt, don't water it.

I'm building out a small community for people exactly in this position — total beginners, small spaces, no experience — if that's you, feel free to check it out.