I was once in the same shoes you are.  I purchased my first DLSR about 10 years ago.  I pulled it out of the box and thought “Now what do I do with it”.  I quickly set it up, put it on Auto and started taking pictures, excited to see some great photos.  Well, that was a big let down as I quickly realized that the photos were not any better than my point and shoot or phone camera photos.  I then went scouring the internet looking for tutorials and courses for help.  I found courses, but none less than $200, which I was not prepared to pay.  So I went the tutorial route and slowly (and I do mean slowly) learned how to use my camera.  10 years later, I am now a portrait and travel photographer.  I developed these exercises to help you progress faster through the learning curve.