What sort of files do you have on the PC?
As people have said, Apple really doesn't want you to see the file system on an iPad; it wants all the files to be associated with an app. So, music files go with the Music app, photographs with the Photos app, and so on. Third party apps also know about this system.
If you have a lot of Microsoft Word files, a Word app is available from the App Store. I think it's free, but if not, most iPad apps cost about the same as a cup of coffee. Same, I think, for Excel and PowerPoint.
I've already mentioned GoodReader: it will enable you to look at a lot of different kinds of files.
There really aren't many choices apart from iTunes via USB or the Cloud. I don't use the cloud myself, but it might save you some grief and filial impatience. If nothing else, it will give you backup. If your files aren't backed up, you don't have them.
Good luck, one step at a time, and do things the Apple way. It's different, but it does make sense, for their kit.