Before heading out into the surf, you should practice on dry land first to get a feel for it, so you know what you are going to do.

Place your board on the sand, being careful of the fins, then lay on the board and practice the motion of paddling then quickly place your hands on the rails between the nose and center, pushing up so your arms extend straight, then in a single motion pop both knees towards your stomach so your feet land on the board, keep your dominant leg to the tail of the board and the other one just above mid point.

When you move to position, stay low keeping your center of gravity low. Try to keep your weigh central, if you have to keep holding your board thats fine, so long as you get on your feet as quickly as possible.

Keep your knees bent and stay low, this will help to stay on your feet for as long as possible.

You can easily forget the process with the rush of the wave, so repeat the process a few times on the beach, to really get the feel for it.

Once you catch the wave, balance yourself on the board, don't be to hasty to stand up. When your steady, then quickly pop onto your feet. Keep your hands on the board for balance.

After you start to get more confident, you will find your balance quicker, and be able to stand up faster, even popping onto your feet as you first drop down the face.

Now you've covered the basics, you just have to practice, practice, practice. So best of Luck.