A carb has NOTHING to do with getting high or not. You can smoke weed just fine out of a tobacco pipe.
The first time i smoked weed i didnt get that high. I was with a group of people mixed with light weed users and people that smoked everyday. I still had the giggles like crazy though just because of the people i was with. I would say the first time for weed is always shitty most of the time because of ignorance. If i remember correctly i was barely able to take a big hit off of the weed (pop can bong) because i didn't have my mouth fully covering the whole but after a couple of times you really start to have a good time i would honestly recommend getting a pipe or bong though joints can even be hard for beginners if you haven't even smoked a cig in your life.