You should learn and pass on a manual. Having only driven , and only having a licence for, an automatic is very restricting. Your friends will have manual cars, so you can't borrow a car from, or be a driver for, them, you will find hire cars are manual, and the number of cars you can buy which are automatic, new or second hand, is small compared to the number of manual ones.
Really ,learning to use a manual box is easy. That isn't the problem when you are a learner and are tested. Your problem will be roadcraft, reading the road, anticipating what other road users will do, and being aware of hazards in practice, rather than in theory.