What is your opinion of the Canon Powershot SX500 IS for a beginner photographer?

I want a Nikon D3200, and was saving up for it, but I got the Canon Powershot SX500 IS for Christmas. I'm a beginning photographer who wants to fine-tune her skills. The camera doesn't take bad pictures (I spent yesterday trying it out), they're actually pretty crisp and I like them. However, the camera isn't an SLR like I had wanted. Does that matter?

Start using it in manual mode and Learning to shoot in manual mode when you see that the photos and composition are coming how you want them update to canon dslr like 5D mkII or any full frame hope it helps