I've seen a lot of talk on here about specific firearms that one should get if they are just going about arming themselves. The AR-15 and Glock 17 are held up in these threads as the golden standard, missing the most important gun currently on the market.
The Hi-Point C9 is disliked by standard gun chuds because it's affordable. In fact, it's downright cheap.
Purely utilitarian aesthetics, plastic construction, wide availability, and lack of swag are all reasons this gun has such a bad reputation. It's also a touch uncomfortable for some shooters.
On the other hand, it's very durable, reliable, and affordable. It chambers the most common pistol caliber both in the us and worldwide. For a wonder nine, the recoil is pretty tame, which is great for new shooters as well.
If you can afford a Glock and you want a Glock, great. If you can't afford the Glock, don't sweat it. The hi point has basically the same features:
Striker fired action, 9x19 chambering, polymer construction, easy field strip, simple mechanical components, cheap easy to find replacement parts, etc.
On a related note, any 5.56 rifle is probably fine.
i would also add that if you're strapped for cash, the hi point is also a better option than getting some questionable old surplus pistol chambered in an obsolete cartridge (whether its a meme makarov with hammer and sickle grips or an ex-police beretta that looks like it was dragged behind a truck). hipoint warranty and customer service actually gets decent reviews so if something breaks you're not SOL like you would be with a 50 year old surplus piece.
Although they don't seem to be offered anymore, there is the Kel-Tec P11 9mm pistol too. It's about the same price range as the Hi-Point pistols.