Hey I've been there too. I totaled my car (first of many) when I was 18 and was forced to buy a bike for immediate transportation. I bought a Schwinn World bike. In retrospect I'm bummed about the choice of bikes because I now work for TREK. But that's neither here nor there.
I encurage everyone to get off their butts and ride a bike (oh wait there is a butt to seat thing involved here- well you get my point).
Ride on!!!