Hello @Prototype041
I started playing back in August. While you cannot avoid PvP in an open world PvP game, it is possible to enjoy the game here. Take a look at my record this is the total ships I have lost to other players since starting the game. I have also remained an alpha player, mined ore and gas, and built my first station on November 22nd. I am back up to over 1 billion ISK again and planning my next station to be constructed sometime after the new year.
I was invited here by a good friend ( who just showed me the ropes ) then I watched several hours of YouTube videos, and I played very causally. There is no big secret to avoid getting ganked. Just be aware of your surroundings. You will note, all my ships that were destroyed, happened in low sec. Hauling your ores through low sec is almost unavoidable. I was told to only fly what you can afford to lose.
Personally I have found mining to be akin to watching paint dry. Often - just like yesterday - I will get distracted or have to leave the miner to their fate. However attacks don’t often occur in low sec as one might assume. I will be scooping gas in 0.4 low sec and my sister will visit and we get to talking and I will either have a load finished or be dead. A venture mining ship is easy to replace when the value of 1 load of ore can purchase 5 more.
I am not a veteran and I do not cower in high sec. I explore, mine, and build, I would recommend you think of the players who attack you as advanced versions of NPCs - what they call rats here - and stop trying to play the game in easy mode. It is meant to be a challenge.