I do like the idea of improving Meditation at least by a little bit, but I also like how mages currently function, and I don't find it to be a problem that MP pots are so essential. It is a hard path to take, but I find it very rewarding.
Here are some tips that I found useful when I was still an upstart mage.
1. Solea caves are a nice place to hunt for mana herbs. Minimal, very easy combat, so you won't have to traverse a dungeon in hopes of finding one or maybe two patches. You'll find other herbs and ore, which can be frustrating when you only want mana herbs, but health potions are never terrible to have, and making stamina potions can help you rank potion making I guess. This method doesn't rely on you having an herb pig either, nor dealing with its limited mana pool.
2. If you don't have your transformation skill, work on getting it. If you raise the rank of the transformation skill that increases your MP, transforming will not only increase your maximum amount but also give you a bunch of MP to work with. This has been very helpful for me when I either lack MP potions or don't feel like using them. Use it wisely and it will greatly cut down on your need for MP potions. If you are a human, Dark Knight is the ideal option for becoming a powerful mage.
3. Work on a combat pet. If you're an upstart mage, using magic is generally going to be your only option for combat. However, some enemies you end up facing may very well not be worth the MP to kill them. Let your pet help you take care of those mooks, so you can save your MP for the harder fights.
4. Once you have your bolts all ranked to r1 (or have ranked to it and then skill reset, either one), your first goal should be getting Thunder. Ideally, rank Thunder up to Rank B or higher. With enough Intelligence and rB Thunder, you have a good shot at rafting effectively. If you can raft and acquire between 28 and 30 stars (and no more than that), you can earn 10 mana herbs each run. The better you get at Thunder, the easier it will be to reach that goal.
Here is a guide I found to be helpful when it came to rafting with Thunder:
http://mabination.com/archive/index.php/t-20633.html
Once you can do this reasonably well, making your own MP potions should no longer be a problem.
5. Don't forget your lovely mana tunnels. Hop on over to one if you run low on MP and can spare the time. If you end up needing to wait for a continent warp, you could always go to Shyla for a beeswax wing, which can help you hop continents, though it costs 10,000 gold per wing.
6. If you're going to make your own potions, don't forget to raise production mastery. The stamina isn't particularly helpful, but the increased chance in a successful mana potion is very much worth it. The less mana herbs you waste, the better.
Lastly, though it has been mentioned over and over in the forums, I'll say it again for consistency. If you're just beginning the path of the mage, you really don't need a wand. The repair cost will eat you alive early on, and the benefits you get from it won't be worthwhile. Plus, swapping out of your wand will cause mana evaporation, so for someone who is struggling with MP pots, this can be a huge hassle.
Consider getting a wand when forking over 50-60k is manageable for a full repair. People have their own preference on when they feel they need a wand. Personally, I think it should be considered once you hit rank 1 firebolt (for a CC4 Fire Wand), or when you're working towards an advanced spell.