Borderlands SP and Splitscreen question.

Ok I've been playing Bordlerlands for a couple of hours now. I just got it and it seems pretty fun. My girlfriend is coming over later and we plan on playing split screen. My question is not whether my character will be saved but if we start a split screen will it start the game from scratch or will she join me at the point I am now. Kind of confusing I know but an answer would be appreciated. Thanks

If she makes a new character then the game will start off a new game from the start, but you will start were you were before, like say in some quest, but if you are in a different Area, like say the Skag Gully then she will start there at level 1 with you and you will both share quests.

So we're both playing like our own game and we can team up if we want? Sorry if I didn't understand. What I understood was that we'll start all over again in split screen but I'll continue with the quest I needed to do and she'll do the quests from the beginning???