I hope you’re cooking experience is developing and becoming easier.  After a while things like chopping an onion become second nature but if you never learned the proper technique these simple tasks can become a major ordeal.  

For me the onion is a staple, I use it in just about everything I do (I have even ate one raw on a dare) but to get even uniform pieces takes some practice.  I have learned over the years the fastest and easiest way to chop an onion, depending on what I need it for.  So what is this magic method?  Here it is.

First look at the onion and recognize the top and bottom (the ends). Now chop that crap off then cut down the middle from top to bottom to form to equal pieces. I prefer a serrated knife to the regular clean edge because of the multiple layers.  No peel both sides then take and lay one half of the onion on the flat side of the table.  Now with the flat side of the knife parallel to the table, cut a series of horizontal slits about a ¼ inch apart starting from the bottom. Also it makes life easier if you don’t go all the way through because it will hold the onion together better. I also find it best to go from left to right and making sure not to lop of a finger.  Next slice down vertically perpendicular to the slits you just made, going end to end spaced ¼ inch apart and making sure not to go all the way through.  So now slice down vertically again but going opposite to the slits you just made.  And then there was nothing but chopped onion.