I'm a day one player. I've not done skolas or public event. I'm not bothered.

Sorry you're not going to have the emblem. I doubt anybody will be wearing theirs after the first 2 weeks though, so no big loss. It'd take about 3 hours to kill Skolas, but with a bit of levelling to hit 34, the free class-item and ghost shell, and that very fine ascended fatebringer you already have, you'd be perfectly kitted up for it. Crota hard you'd want to LFG a group on Crota, and just provide some artillery support. Chests is a few patrols, could be done in an hour if you know where to look.