I just jumped into a command line virtual console using Ctrl-Alt-F1, and i would now like to return to the gui. startx gives me something along the lines of 'this server is already active for display 0' if ...etc. it gives me a command to remove /tmp/.X0lock if that isn't the case...I could just restart the machine, but i'm worried i might mess something up.
If you switched TTYs with Ctrl+Alt+F1 you can go back to the one running your X with Ctrl+Alt+F7.
TTY 7 is where Ubuntu keeps the graphical interface running.
Its not scary at all, you can use TTYs to do troubleshooting and other necessary configuration, get a bit familiar with it, login, check it out (it works as the terminal inside graphical Ubuntu) and logoff. You can login to several TTYs without messing your system.
When you want to go back to graphical press Ctrl+Alt+F7.
From 17.10 onwards VT1 is used for the display manager ("login screen"), the standard X session uses VT2. Hence we have VT3 as the first usable VT.
Also see Why is my GDM at a different TTY than my desktop environment? for more about the origin of this change.
