Best way to handle new user registration when email verification is required

I'm building a new web app that requires email verification. I'm looking to all you UX experts (I'm more of a back end developer) to guide me.

So, the user has just signed up. I'm taking them now to a page that basically says "please go check your email".

I think this is just a bit shitty. I'm toying with the idea of letting them use the app and giving them like 24 hours to confirm their email. What do you all think?