• my $first = substr $string, 0, 1;
• my $first = substr reverse($string), -1;
• my ($first) = $string =~ /^(.)/sm;
• my $first = (split //, $string)[-1];
• my $first = (reverse(split //, $string))[0];
• my $first = unpack 'a', $string;

Now, of course, some of these are more equal than others. Some are more cryptic than others. Some are also slightly more destructive than others. Take your pick. *grins*

Interestingly enough, the following does not work ...

my ($first) = reverse($string) =~ /(.)$/sm;
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We are the carpenters and bricklayers of the Information Age.

Don't go borrowing trouble. For programmers, this means Worry only about what you need to implement.