You might not need a node to interact with ethereum though, I think you can do a lot of things from a wallet.
This is sort of what I was thinking as I was reading this.
Are you sure you need a full node? What are you doing that makes you think that you need a full node? My understanding is that running an ETH full node requires a ton of space and is a total pain in the ass. The beauty of smart chains though is that you can interact with the chain without needing a node. Maybe you misunderstood your friend and he was talking about uploading a smart contract to the chain as opposed to downloading the chain? I think more information from you would likely lead to the advice of just using smart contracts on the chain and avoiding a node.