Indexing in python starting from 0. You wrote [1:] this would not return you a first char in any case - this will return you a rest(except first char) of string.
If you have the following structure:
mylist = ['base', 'sample', 'test']
And want to get fist char for the first one string(item):
myList[0][0]
>>> b
If all first chars:
[x[0] for x in myList]
>>> ['b', 's', 't']
If you have a text:
text = 'base sample test'
text.split()[0][0]
>>> b