Hi Brandy,
I think a name tag lanyard is a good project to start with. I usually use a beading wire such as Acculon or Beadalon. I use the heaviest weight. I crimp to a 3/4" split ring or soldered ring that the name tag can clip onto. (You can also use this ring for hanging your glasses.) I use 2x2 crimps. While you can just smash the crimp onto the wire with a chain nose (needle nose) pliers, using a crimping tool makes a nicer looking crimp. A beginner beading class could be very helpful. They would teach you how to use the crimping tool. (You can also see how to use it at the beadalon.com site. They have an animated tutorial.)
Happy Beading!
Kathy S