I just now recently (half a year ago) started collecting the cards instead of the games (lolz, and I still collect the games too!), and it was about six months ago I got my first card. I remember it as if it were yesterday.
I was excited as I gave the casheir at GameStop four dollars and ten cents for a single Diamond and Pearl booster pack. Once I climbed into the truck with my dad, I gingerly opened the pack. The first card I saw was the card that all of my friends want to trade me for today (which I wont), an awesome looking, shiny, and powerful Garchomp card. Behind it was a Charizard, then a Torterra, then a Rapidash, then a Hippodown, then TWO Sceptiles, then a Cresselia, then a Wailord, and finally, the last card, was a pretty cute looking Turtwig with a berry on the card.
If you ask me, I stasrted out my collection well. Then my brother gave me all of his about hundred older card, for he wasnt interested in Pokemon anymore. So ya, I started out pretty good. I dont think that booster pack was randomly placed and the cards in it randomly chosen, I think I AM THE CHOSEN ONE!!!! :D