Well, believe it or not, its about 2 million light years. Look up the position of the Andromeda Galaxy in a sky chart, get your eyes dark adjusted and look for that faint fuzzy blob that is Andromeda. Some people have reported observing the nearby Triangulum Galaxy which is slightly farther away. A simple project that will let you tell time using the Sun. Completing this project marks your advancement from the beginner level to the intermediate stage.
Amateur astronomy is half in the mind and half in the eye.
To a beginner, a galaxy looks like a fuzzy shapeless blob but you know that it is an island universe composed of billions of stars and is probably teeming with life. It really helps to understand what you are observing and you don't have be Einstein to grasp the basics. Chase a Solar Eclipse. A total solar eclipse is said to be a very impressive sight. It must be, because I've only seen a annular eclipse and it was something to remember.