First-time Offender — Did I Mess Up By Asking For A Lawyer Instead Of Pleading Guilty?

First-time poster here, so please bear with me. I’m 26, live in Alabama, and recently had my first court appearance for public intoxication and possession of marijuana in the second degree. I have no prior criminal record, and this is my first time ever dealing with the court system.
At my court appearance, I got nervous and told the judge I wanted time to find an attorney instead of pleading guilty. The judge postponed my case until January , 2027.
Someone involved in the same incident had the exact same charges and also had no prior convictions. They pleaded guilty to both charges and received a suspended jail sentence, two years of unsupervised probation with no regular reporting, and a fine for the other charge.
After seeing their outcome, I’ve been regretting my decision. I can’t afford a private attorney, and I honestly just want to get this situation behind me. I’m not necessarily looking to fight the charges. My biggest concern is avoiding jail time and hopefully being able to get my record expunged in the future.
I’m worried that because I asked for time to find a lawyer, the judge might not give me a similar sentence when I return.
My questions are:
Did asking for time to find an attorney hurt my chances of receiving unsupervised probation?
Since we’re both first-time offenders with the same charges, is a similar sentence possible?
What happens if I return to court and tell the judge I couldn’t afford an attorney? i applied for an court appointed but didn’t qualify
Can public intoxication and second-degree marijuana possession convictions eventually be expunged in Alabama after three years?
If I’m considering pleading guilty, what should I know before making that decision?
I’ve been extremely anxious since court because I feel like I missed my chance to get everything resolved before the new year.
I’m looking for advice from anyone familiar with Alabama courts or who has been through something similar. Please be respectful. This is my first experience with anything like this, and I’m already overwhelmed.
Thank you in advance.
Location: Alabama, USA