Creative mode is equal to god mode where you have access to every block, item, mob, etc.

In creative you are also invincible

Creative

Survival mode is what the name suggests, where you survive.

Survival

Minecraft Basics

The Survival Basics

The First Steps

The first thing you should do is get wood and craft a crafting table. You have a 2x2 crafting inference. The way to make a crafting table is put the wood in your inference and then put the planks you get in all of the slots to get a crafting table.