You are not alone, and you are not helpless. — There are moments in time when life throws so many predicaments, confusions, thoughts, and emotions at you that it feels you could just crumble under the weight. Moments when mental health takes a backseat, when you’re simply trying to get by. For the longest time, I would all but give…

Profound lessons on learning, artistry, and friendship. — The best teachers teach you to learn — The Name of the Wind/The Wise Man’s Fear Marten frowned. “That’s a cruel trick to play on a boy … Tricking you just to get a little peace and quiet. It’s a shabby thing to do.” I was taken aback. “It wasn’t done in meanness. I enjoyed it. It gave me something to think about.” “But it was…

Do you really understand this test you likely learned in high school? — As a data scientist, you would do well to understand some statistics. After all, it is one of the building blocks of the field. This is the first article in a series which will attempt to give a concise, practical overview of different statistical tests and the situations in which…

Quantitative study design, significance testing, and different classes of statistical tests. — I came to write this article through what was a predictable yet still unexpected set of events. I recently finished a course on statistical testing and reporting, and I set out to write a series of articles explaining the details of the most useful statistical tests I learned. I wished…

Step 1: Stop treating them as an enemy that you must fight. — There is a quote from the old Muslim poet Rumi (or, more precisely, Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī) that I’ve always loved: “This being human is a guest house. Every morning is a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor … Welcome…

Rather than considering ChatGPT a threat, view it as your personal assistant and mentor. — The growing popularity of ChatGPT over the past year has led to much speculation regarding what such a tool entails for the workforce. Many believe it indicates automation of many jobs performed by humans, especially programming ones. I prefer a different perspective. While ChatGPT is powerful, it’s not omnipotent. If…

You have plenty of company — this I promise you. — Full disclosure here: I am not writing this particular article from a therapeutic or pedagogical perspective. I almost didn’t write it at all, because on this topic, I have far more to learn than I have to teach. If you are reading these words, take them as a form of…

No matter how hard it tries, there are some aspects of life that technology simply won’t be able to replace. — I don’t like digital artifacts. Don’t misunderstand me. I appreciate the flexibility afforded to us by modern technological advancements. I recognize their importance, their power, their potential for breaking down barriers and establishing equity. I see all of this. I can understand it.

Understanding what stops us from connecting with others is key to learning active listening. — An excerpt from the text Letter to a Teacher by the Schoolboys of Barbiana taught me a stark lesson in the art of listening. I read this small treatise as part of my education studies. It was written by a group of children in an Italian village who were cast…