Guild Wars 2

Recently returned from months absence and I’m now levling a thief. I’ve always had in mind that thief would be harder to level solo than class x, so here I am asking for tips and input on the topic. Aside from this I’ve checked up on basic guides, though none related to levling.

So far I find Shortbow very effective towards most encounters, while I’ve played around with second weapon sets. D/D for instance is bursty, but I find myself wrecked if I dont manage my endurance/dodge timing. Im level 24 atm and I suppose I should aim for gear that has toughness/vitality, instead of going all glass (though unsure how much impact gear has on thief being squishy).
Also, do feel free to point me towards any specific tree or choices in speccing.

Thank you for your time!