I suck at drawing. How do I improve at it?

Have you always wanted to draw like da Vinci but end up drawing like a fourth grade kid? Do you want to be an artist?
Then this post is for you.
First things first, artist is a broad term. What separates novice amateurs from professional artists is passion. Nothing substitutes years of practice.

Basics first.

So what do you need to draw?
Interest!
What do you love? Do you love cartoons or faces or butterflies? Choose a photo to draw from.
You dont need to have artist grade Prismacolor/Staedtler/Fabercastell pencils, you'll know when you'll want those.
What do I need?
Buy a mechanical pencil, hb grade. And another 6b grade. Or pencils with sharpener. Don't get stuck on papers. Drawing papers get pretty expensive. Starting out on cheapest white paper you could find is fine. Get a decent rubber eraser (kneadable eraser recommended) and a flat, smooth drawing surface.

Start with very light marks on paper.

These are basic outlines. Just light enough so you can see them.
When drawing, try to find shapes in things. ovals for pupils, triangles for noses and curves for lips. This will make it easy for you.
If you have never drawn before, it's fine to trace. Many artists have used camera-like devices to trace faces on paper.

Some tips :

i) Never ever start out with dark lines. Unless you're already confident you won't mess up.

ii) Don't lose plan of your overall work. Always look at your whole drawing while drawing. You'll often forget to pay attention to overall proportions.

iii) Don't use an eraser.
Yes you read it right.
Using an eraser over and over not only damages paper, it also conditions you to repeatedly keep mistakes. Instead, draw smooth lines lightly and mimic angles instead of curves.

iv) Don't shade extensively. Control yourself!

v) Don't just make everything darker because it doesn't look nice. Check proportions, then observe the lighting of reference photo. Always have an idea of what you're doing next.

vi) Use lead pencils for precise control of lines. I've always preferred them over any other pencils.