So You Want to Learn R?

Thinking about learning R and where to start? Here’s my answer for you—a non-programmer and a curious diver.

So You Want to Learn R?

I hear this a lot:

“I want to learn R too!”

In that moment, excitement, curiosity, and a tinge of doubt mix together—can they really do this?

I always ask: “Why do you want to learn R?”

The answers usually fall into three categories:

• It’s mandatory for a course.
  
• They hit a wall with their current software. Someone told them, “That analysis? You can only do it in R.”
  
• Curiosity. “I know Python, so why not R? I see you using it, and I want to try too!”

There’s no right or wrong reason. No clear failure rate tied to any of them.

I started R because it was free—and still is. I had used SPSS and Prism before, but R came in like a storm and swept me away.

I loved who I became while writing code. I loved debugging. I loved writing more. But most importantly—I was willing to learn from others’ code. That, I believe, opened great doors for me.

What Can You Use R For?

• Data visualization
  
• Data analysis and wrangling
  
• Report writing

Of these, data visualization is the easiest way to stay motivated as a beginner. It gives you instant gratification—real, visible results.

If you don’t have a specific reason to start, begin with visualization. Of course, you’ll need to learn data import and cleaning along the way, but the visuals you create will act as the carrot on the stick—your reason to keep going.

Think of it as a gateway drug that pulls you into the world of R.

Is this the only way to learn R? No. But if you’re a non-programmer, it’s one of the easiest.

So, download R and RStudio (why both? That’s another story).

👉 Start here – my Viz with Me series! (Shameless self-promotion, but I’m very proud of this one. A great place to start!)

And most importantly—bring a heart that’s ready to dive into this madness.

Shoot me any questions. I’m here.